Unfinished Scenes
by M.Y.Ame
Summary: Basically a bunch of ideas, caused by Writer's Insomnia. Mostly JacobxOc things. Everything is Unfinished, but I'm posting for feedback.


_Ok, first warning; This is honestly not supposed to make sense. I have a huge case of Writer's Insomnia, and this is the result of Twilight jokes, and a bunch of other things. I've only watched about three fourths of the movie, and I haven't read the books. I actually started writing before I saw the movie too._

_Anyways, I just started writing and writing as ideas jumped out, and it sort of escalated from there. This document is fifty-two pages long on Microsoft Word, and around 27.3k words. There might be over ten difference scenes, to parts of stories I might carry on with at random points from now on._

_Yes, it is possible I might build upon things written in here. Yes, it is possible I might leave something I've written here to where it is at.  
Please, don't steal anything.  
Yes, you can use something I've written here, **but ask first. **I don't appreciate someone using my work with out asking. Even if you change up some things, change a name or two or three, it's still taking without asking. Don't give me any fancy bullshit that you didn't 'steal' it. If it can be said that way, then you did it._

_I'm mostly posting this because I'd like feedback on what I've written. I like feedback, because it makes me want to work, or tells me what people would like to read more of.  
I'm only posting it here from encouragement given by my friend Dreamer of Neverland, so if anyone likes what I'd written, thank her.  
And um, review saying which scene/story bit that you liked.  
You don't have to say much, or even that you liked it. All you have to do is review with the number._

_Deuces Duckies,  
M.Y Ame  
_

* * *

1.

The motorbike's front tire stopped just short of the person wearing a wetsuit, engine grinding to a halt and ending with a squealing protest. Jacob had both heels buried into the wet sand, eyes wide and breath caught in his throat- the person was lucky. If Jacob wasn't so surprised, he would have already started yelling.

The person fell backwards into the surf, breathing just as hard as he was, letting the waves lap mid-back for a few minutes before pulling off their goggles. Their short black hair stuck up at odd angles, and they ran a salty hand across their forehead. "Damn," they laughed. It was a girl- although her voice was raspy and slightly deeper than what he was used to hearing. "What a rush."

Jacob mimicked her breathy laugh. "No shit. I almost ran you over." Something large and plastic gleamed on her chest as the water drew out again. A Camera? "Uh huh. That would have hurt. Thanks for stopping." This girl must be crazy- 'Thanks for stopping.' ?

"Well, you probably wouldn't be alive if I hadn't. You would have had about six hundred and seventy pounds on you like a sledge hammer. So, ya'know, of course I stopped." The girl nodded, she still hadn't moved from her seat in the water. "Uh huh. Sorry if I'm being an airhead, still sorta shocked." He let out a breath and held out a hand, hauling her upwards when she finally grabbed it.

"You gunna be alright?" He asked. It was more courtesy or habit than anything else, right now he would have preferred to turn around and take off back to where he had dumped his bag at the foot of the cliffs. She took a few experimental steps, of which wobbled. Sighing, he pulled her onto the bike in front of him and kicked it back to life. "Where's your stuff?"

She shuddered between his arms, seemingly trying to avoid leaning back on his chest like it was the plague, and pointed up to the left where Jacob could see a lone surfboard standing in the sand.

* * *

2.

The soft humming didn't stop, and neither did the footsteps. Either this girl had a death wish or really saw through his fake danger mode. _"Just so you know, this feeling's taking control of me, and I can't help it. I won't sit around; I can't let 'um win now…"_ Her hand came in contact with his head, her small fingers working their way through his fur and to his skin, setting the nerves on fire.

This crazy girl was petting him. Some five foot four girl with pixie hands was petting him, a wolf that looked like it had been on steroid for the first half of its life. He let his lips fall back over his gums, the fur along the ridge of his spine falling back into place as well. The small chuckle from her lips sounded more like a pleased purr.

"There we go… Now, what're you doing here Mister Wolf? I don't think I've seen any other wolves around here." If he had been human, Jacob would have cocked an eyebrow. Was she talking to him like he could answer?

* * *

3.

"H-hey-! What are you-" She spun abruptly on her heel, flashing him a brief smile so bright he had to pause. And then she was gone, back flipping over the cliff edge and falling head-first to the water below. Jacob's eyes went wide. The water would be incredibly cold, winter was officially just three days away, rendering the liquid freezing to even his super-heated skin.

There was a rooster crow from the shore ten minutes later, and there she was, shivering and wearing that blinding smile. She didn't ask him how fast he had to run, she just broke out into chattering giggles, falling into the sand when he didn't stop in time. "D-da-mn sk-k-ippy!" She laughed, hands flat against his shoulders.

He pushed himself up, one hand on either side of her face to keep himself from crushing her chest. "What the hell were you thinking, the water's probably in the negatives!" She was still laughing, almost hysterically. Was she hysterical? His eyebrows knit at the thought. "P-pro-b-bably neg-g'tive t-ten or s-so." She giggled.

He realized she wouldn't look at him. Her eyes darted everywhere but his face and every so often the drops of ocean on her eyelids would send streams down the side of her face. "An? Hey, are you ok?" She was still laughing, and slowly her body was curling up beneath him. "N-no." She giggled, and slowly her expression turned.

The wind came up, and all at once she was shivering violently, laughing turned to crying. Jacob crouched over her, lowering his chest to shield her. An fisted his shirt now, sobs pulling at her body along with the shivers. "Everything's been piling up too much!" She choked, pulling him closer.

* * *

4.

She snorted, shutting the book in front of her, the look in her eyes dark and amused. "It's just not that easy." Jacob looked at her in annoyed confusion. "What the hell does that mean? You're sick of the guy, so you kick him out. Aren't you the one paying for the apartment?" She rolled her eyes, and started packing up her things.

"Technically my dad pays half. He says I need a room mate though or else he won't let me stay, and it isn't exactly easy finding a place around here on a part time waitress salary." The black haired boy shrugged, "So why don't you ask one of your friends to stay with you?" She gave a short laugh, "What friends? In case you can't tell, I'm not from around here, Skippy."

Getting tired of her negative come backs, Jacob finally said, "Then put out a flyer on the student cork board, there's probably tons of people looking for a deal like yours." Andrea gave him a flat look, bordering on condescending. "Right. I can see it now, 'Jailbait looking for male roommate; contact Andrea at the North Rim apartments in room two-oh-five for details.' sounds perfect."

"Male? Why male?"

She cast him her flat look again, but this time it was significantly duller. "Dad's rules. He's still hoping I get a head start with his grandkids and get out of my 'phase' as he so loves to call it." Considerably confused now, Jacob wasn't sure if he understood the awkward conversation anymore. "Why would any girl's dad, any _eighteen_ year old girl's dad, _want_ her to have a guy for a room mate?"

Shouldering her pack, she shrugged. "He still thinks I shouldn't be asexual just because I was raped when I was sixteen. Go figure. See ya in Micro, Black."

_~interlude~_

Yup, that was definitely a frown on her face. "What the hell do you want, Black?" Shrugging languidly, he held up the comical flier he had asked Quil to draw up, complete with Andrea's quote from the other day and rainbows and a scrawny looking unicorn being eaten by a wolf. She stared at the flier for a minute, and then Jacob received her trademark look. "I wasn't looking for pity when I talked to you on Friday, Black."

He shrugged again. "It's not pity. I live three hours away on a reservation, and my family is getting tired of me waking everyone up at three thirty in the morning. So, since your incredibly good offer came to light, I found it… Convenient." He grinned cheekily as her look melted into amusement, complete with a wry smirk and a cocked brow. "Alright," She nodded fairly, "good enough Skippy. You need to get rid of my current room mate though."

Jacob cocked his head to the side, "Why, you can't deal with him?" She snorted, folding her arms across her chest and leaning against the door frame. "I'd rather not deal with him in this case. The guy I'm talking about is the one who raped me, Black. I could deal with him, but I'd rather make Mister Big, Strong, Sexy Indian do it." He faltered in his come back, staring at her for a moment before trying to make words come out of his mouth.

Andrea snickered suddenly, rubbing at her eyes. "Oh my God, you look like a fish." She giggled. Jacob scowled, realizing he had been caught in her abrupt sense of humor. "That's not fair, I can't tell if you just hit on me or insulted me." The grin on her lips was just as abrupt as her jab at him, for a moment it was there showing him she could have happy expressions, and then it was gone.

It took a moment for Jacob to realize she was staring past him, and actually looking at someone. He discreetly sampled the air, resisting the urge to shiver at the scent of stale tobacco, sex, and garbage. "Drea, who's this?" The voice was smooth and sweet, the opposite of what he smelled like. Jacob watched as the red haired girl's face shut down, and every single defence he had seen the first day of class bolt back up.

"Scott. This is Jacob. He was asking me about taking board." The smell got worse as he turned, but Jacob found the voice matched the person. Scott was about five eleven, taller than Andrea's five five, but indefinitely shorter than his six seven. Scott was about as built as a swimmer, and had chin length swept blond hair. He looked confused and slightly angry.

"Board? Andrea, we don't have room for another person in the apartment." Jacob could feel her eyes drilling into his back. "Actually, I offered to take up appliances, contacted Mr. Cardhall myself, and he approved." Andrea had to mentally hand it to the guy, he was a smooth and sweet liar. Scott looked livid, but he didn't move an inch. She was shocked, every other time, the guy she had gotten to intervene would have been sucker punched by now.

But Scott wasn't doing anything. Slowly, she realized Scott had to look up to stare Jacob in the eye. "You can't do this Andy. We've been together-" Andrea choked out a laugh, "Together? Fuck that Scott, you've been stalking me since middle school. You're not even taking classes at the college, I asked! You work at the garage down the street you lying ass!"

The threatening step he took was abruptly cut off by a wall of rustic red and cinnamon colored skin. Jacob almost grinned when he heard Scott swallow thickly, just _almost_. "This doesn't involve you, Jack." the blond spat, trying to sound larger than he was. Jacob grinned. He knew this game, the one where you tried to scare off the metaphorical bear by pulling yourself up, and trying to seem like the larger.

This was more fun that he thought it'd be. Jacob crossed his arms over his chest, teeth showing behind his lips as his grin turned into a smile. "I'm sorry _Scott_, but since I'll be moving in, it really is my business. _Especially_ if you're showing hostility towards _my_ new room mate." Jacob hadn't even realized Andrea had left, until she tapped his shoulder and pointed to the large black suitcase next to his feet.

Jacob offhandedly picked it up, and shoved it at Scott. "I believe this is yours, by the way." As soon as he let go, the blond grunted and grappled with the bag, surprised by the sudden weight. He stared up at Jacob, as if he had finally seen him. The Indian was mildly pleased to smell underlying fear as Scott covered up the emotions in his eyes and glared around Jacob at Andrea. "This isn't over, Andy."

He cocked a single black eyebrow, approaching Scott. The foul scented man took a step back for every one Jacob took forward, until he was at the elevator. The door slid open, and Jacob made Scott step inside, before he reached at the man. Scott all but shrieked, dropping his bag on the floor. He only opened his eyes when he heard Jacob snort, and the doors ding.

As they slid shut, he glowered, "This isn't over, Indian boy!" Jacob laughed, pitch colored eyes dancing with laughter as he held up something small and silver. "Oh, it is now." Scott's eyes grew wide as the elevator started to move. It had been his key- the key he needed to enter the apartment building, work the elevator, and get into Andrea's apartment.

That stupid kid had nicked the key from his pocket.

Andrea had to hand it to Jacob, as he sauntered back waving the key, he had skills. "So, red head, how do we make this official with daddy dearest?" He quipped, pausing before her and handing over the key. She grinned and Jacob was relieved to see her defences slide. "I'll make a few calls, get a cleaner to come out, and we should be good by Thursday."

Jacob blinked, "Two days? Woah, girl. You sure move fast." Someone coughed like they had choked, and Andrea peered around Jacob. The door to two-oh-two was open, and its occupant looked like he had just been getting ready to leave. He stared at them with wide eyes, fumbled with his key and tried to hastily lock his door. The sound of laughter made him drop his key, and it took Jacob a few minutes to realize it was _Andrea_ laughing.

His neck cracked, he turned it so fast to look at her. She had her arms crossed over her stomach, eyes clenched tight and body slightly bent. "Oh- oh my God, oh- John," She was almost crying, gasping for breath between words. The boy dropped his key, snatched it back up, and finally locked his door. "S-sorry, um, I'll just be going now."

"No, no, no, no, John, wait!" Andrea laughed, darting around Jacob and catching the skittish looking boy's arm. "John, this is my new room mate." She giggled, pulling him over to Jacob. The dusty brown haired boy stared up at Jacob with wide eyes behind slim black frames, "Holy Crap An, talk about upgrade." She snorted, hard. Jacob wasn't sure whether to laugh or be disturbed.

"Nice to meet you too, I suppose." He mused. John abruptly blushed, unoccupied hand reaching up and covering his mouth. "Oh God, I'm so sorry, uh…" Andrea finally caught her breath, "Jacob, this is John; pretty much the most adorable Drama major in the whole class, because he doesn't have a brain to mouth filter." John gasped, looking at Andrea hurtfully. Jacob realized they were almost the same height, John probably only had two inches on her.

"That is so mean, I do too have a brain to mouth filter!" Andrea grinned, light dancing in her eyes. "Oh yeah? Look at Jacob again." He did, and another abrupt sentence left his mouth. "My God, how tall _are_ you?" The brunette glared at Andrea and scowled. "Oh fine, so I don't have a brain to mouth filter and I've effectively embarrassed myself in front of your new sexy room mate. Can I leave now?"

* * *

5.

She stared into his eyes, so directly even, that he wondered if she actually could see into his soul. "What if I told you, that there are shape shifters other than wolves? Birds, cats, rabbits, fish; what if I told you they were shape shifters too?" Jacob laughed, and hoped it didn't sound as nervous to her ears as it did his.

"Fish? That's ridiculous, are you talking about merpeople? What next?" He snickered, "Are you going to tell me you're a mermaid, Andy?" She snorted right back, "Oh, right. Excuse me Mister big bad Wolf Legend descendent, of course you don't believe. Have you forgotten the legends of the Tricksters, the trio of Fire, Air, and Water? Those who tormented the wolves, those of the Earth? You don't think they were the only of their kind, single beings of which lived forever, for the sole reason to torment the Earth beings?"

Jacob froze, half in shock that she had even known those legends, and half in surprise that she had reminded him of them.

* * *

6.

The rain had come in from Forks during the night. The trees in the forest gathered the rain in its branches, letting loose random torrents of water in the unsuspecting animal unfortunate enough to wander under. Jacob, on the other hand, used them for practice.

----------

The branches above his head crackled, and he crouched low, building up his jumping power before springing out of the way just in time.

----------

Leaves, branches, and underbrush crackled under her feet, cutting into the skin. Rain built up in the trees send fatty drops on her head, soaking her hair in a matter of seconds into the forest. Everything passed in blurs of brown, green, black, and gray. A torrent of water rushed abruptly over her head, soaking through her clothing and rewetting her hair.

The trunks and branches cleared, opening up to the cliff; her destination.

----------

Jacob raised his head to the body rushing past him. Whoever it was flew past with almost the speed of one of his pack, and it surprised him. As far as Jacob knew, they were all still in human form somewhere; he couldn't feel them mentally. Their scent, or what was left of it, smelled human.

Carefully as a wolf of his size could, he snuck after them, only to realize whoever it was had already escaped his sight.

----------

She passed something, whatever it was, she didn't care. Be it bear, wolf, fox, or deer; it didn't matter. In a few minutes, she would be gone anyways, and no one could interrogate an animal.

----------

A foreign feeling welled up in his chest as he realized where they were heading, and as he caught up to them, that she wasn't stopping. He didn't even realize when he phased back, running on two legs, reaching towards them and yelling with an unused and husky voice. "Hey, watch out!"

The small body slipped from his fingers, and right over the edge, disappearing from his vision. He heard the sound of a body splashing down into the water seconds later.

It was a split second decision. To go on his way, pretending it hadn't happened, or dive in after them. They hadn't hesitated, he thought suddenly. As his body hit the water, he furiously thought, why had he?

----------

The warmth curled around her body was the first thing she noticed. It felt nice. The comfort it provided almost made her feel like crying; it was the first thing that felt _right_ in months. She sighed in relief, diving in; dying _had_ been the right choice. Earth hadn't been the right place for her.

But the warmth moved. She realized her eyes were shut, there were earthly noises around her, and her hair was wet. Suddenly, everything crashed down and she realized she _wasn't_ gone.

----------

Jacob woke early, fists clenched tight enough to draw blood from the half moons his nails created. The small body tucked into his side hadn't shifted a millimetre, hadn't made a sound other than soft breaths. He shifted, sitting up, staring down at her. Silently he wondered why she had done that. The waters had bit into even his super heated skin, and he had struggled to engage his muscles.

He had though, and searched for her under the erratic tide, fighting to pull her up to the surface. Black filled his vision suddenly, and Jacob growled lowly, yanking his hair back. When had he last been human? The Indian had been lucky enough that the landlord he had rented the small shack they were in now hadn't changed the locks, or he wouldn't know what he had done with the girl and himself.

Probably drop her off to a hospital.

Her scent changed rapidly, no longer drenched in warmth and light, but falling into a damp and frigid smell. Jacob realized she had woken up while he stared into the mirror across from the bed. He would have to clean himself up soon, he looked like a werewolf even in his human form.

Mildly, as the girl cracked her eyes open, he wondered when it had become his 'human form'.

----------

She realized the warmth was breathing, deeply and evenly, and she could feel their sight on her back. The pain of being alive on her shoulders, she struggled to open her eyes, all too ready to scream and yell at them for saving her. She knew she had gone over the cliff side, she hadn't fought. She should be gone.

She wasn't ready for who was sitting next to her though, one leg bent in and the other off the bedside, dark hair spilling over one broad shoulder and thrown over the other.

It was almost comical how her eyes slowly traveled up his chest to his face, widening more and more until the hazel orbs landed on his own deep brown eyes. He said nothing, purely waiting for her to speak first. When she didn't, Jacob found he was all too easy to settle with staying silent, tilting his head to the side and watching her back.

The person in front of her wasn't a boy, oh no. She wasn't even sure if he could be a man. There was an ageless, almost animalistic quality to him that made her speechless. His skin was dark, medium coffee, almost cinnamon in color. It was almost impossibly smooth, and she knew if she was in the right state of mind, she would have been blushing.

He wore no shirt, and his jeans had been pulled down his hips from sleeping in them, leaving her quite a nice view of his torso. There was no blushing though; no stuttering and she wasn't staring at anything below his shoulders. Oh no, what captivated her most were his eyes. His eyes were dark from the inside out, with the outer ring barely reaching the classification of coffee brown.

All at once, she realized the searing pain in her back.

----------

Jacob blinked in surprise as she hissed, and with a single sniff, he realized she was bleeding. Pulling the blanket back, he saw the black patches on the back of her medium blue shirt gain new blossoms. She must have hit the water back first the night before, and broke skin.

There was no hesitation; he automatically got up and retrieved disinfection and bandages from the bathroom.

"Shirt." He rumbled quietly after returning, a corner of his mouth tilting upwards in ever the slightest show of amusement when she blinked up at him like a deer in headlights. Jacob snorted lightly, holding up the cream and cloth in his hands, "Your back is bleeding." She swallowed, the sound echoing in his ears, before nodding and making an effort to take her shirt off while laying stomach down.

----------

She was more surprised at hearing his voice more than anything. When he had left the room, she had been expecting him to leave completely, but when he came back with something for the pain in her back she was shocked. Everything about this person was shocking really, so much so that her thoughts were gone.

It took her a few minutes to get her shirt off. The pain blossomed every time she tried to pull the cotton away, until finally she bit her lip and _pulled_.

----------

Jacob heard the cotton rip the scabs from her back, her heartbeat speed up, but felt mildly surprised when she didn't even so much as gasp. He assessed the cuts and lacerations, thinking back to the night before. There must have been ice in the water, because little cuts riddled her back and shoulders, some in clusters and long strips.

He pulled a few tissues from the box on the bedside table, dabbing where blood had started to bead before spreading an even layer of the cream and then laying a hand on her shoulder, asked "The bandages?"

She was completely relaxed under his hands. The feeling was just as foreign as not thinking. Sleep had even almost taken her again as he mentioned the bandage. It snapped her awake though, and she suddenly wondered how to wrap them. Of course it was easy enough to bite her tongue and tough it out, but as she wondered, sleep snuck up on her again.

Cocking his head to the side again, he hummed quietly, something sparking slightly in the back of his mind as the girl shifted at the sound. She shifted slowly, until she could see him out the corner of her eye. "Could you…?" She asked in a quiet, raspy voice. One short nod was all she needed before she sat up slowly, trying not to use any upper body strength.

Blood beaded slowly as they shifted anyways, soaked up soon enough as Jacob began wrapping up her torso, pulling softly to keep it tight enough to not unravel but soft enough to allow for easy movement. There weren't anymore words, not even when he finished and left again to the bathroom.

She finally sighed, breath hitching ever so slightly as her back shifted, no longer pushed out from expanded lungs. The water turned on in the room next door, and moments later he came back. This time his hair was pulled back into a long braid, trailing down well past his hips, and he held a cup of water with a straw sticking out.

He held it before her lips, motioning for her to drink. The water wasn't cold, but cool enough for her suddenly burning throat, rushing down and filling her stomach; of which suddenly ached. The glass slowly was drained of its content, and Jacob withdrew it to the beside table before crouching under the bed for his duffel. The bag had been there for weeks, and he only now pulled it out for the third time, the first and second only the night before for a pair of boxers and then jeans as an after thought.

The shirts inside wouldn't fit his new shoulders comfortably anymore, but for the girl, they would be fine. He pulled a deep blue one from the depths of the duffel and dropped it over her head, before pulling his sweatshirt out. His shirts wouldn't fit, but he had always bought his sweatshirts at least two sizes bigger, so luckily he had something that fit still.

Tugging it over his own head, he pulled his shoes from under his bed and tosses a pair of socks from his duffel as an afterthought to the girl. "Come on. There's no food here." He had no shoes the girl could wear, but the socks he had given her would probably be good enough until he could find a store.

Mentally, Jacob shook his head. Why was he taking care of her? Why hadn't he just dropped her off at the hospital? The sound of shuffling behind him as he walked down the hall almost echoed in his ears. They paused in the doorway of the cabin as he exited, shoving a hand in the pocket of his sweatshirt for the keys to the rabbit.

He turned, slight questioning in his gaze.

She wasn't sure what was going on. First she wakes up in some guy's bed, some extremely attractive guy's bed. Second, he takes care of her back, which was probably the result of her jump last night. Third, he wasn't asking her anything. Fourth and fifth, he had given her a new shirt and was now presumably taking her somewhere for food.

The sun hurt her eyes as she followed him down the hallway in his over sized shirt and socks that might as well have been boots on her feet. She wasn't exactly a pixie, even though her hands were small, but his clothing made her feel like one. He walked out the door, but paused almost as soon as she did in the middle of pulling a set of keys from his pocket.

When he didn't talk, she felt like they were playing a 'you talk I talk' game. And with that, all of her thoughts came to life, but in a slower manner than what they had always been before.

Jacob watched as her eyes changed in the light when she finally lowered her hand, the outer ring hazing outwards in a soft dirty golden brown. Light golden brown stretched out from her pupils, streaking into a mossy light green. The colors pulled at him, reminding him of the forest. Snapping himself from his stare, he realized those orbs darted around his face, asking a million questions at once.

"Why?" She finally asked, whispering the word as loudly as she dared. Her throat sounded raw and clogged, still thick from sleep and dry from throwing up ocean water after Jacob had pulled her out last night. He could smell the dehydration on her breath still.

The simple question tugged at something in his chest. He turned so he was facing her now, finally taking in the short girl standing in the doorway of his rented cabin, looking incredibly dwarfed in his clothing and sickly. The shrug wasn't a good enough answer, but he couldn't really think of how to phrase _why_ he was doing this. Jacob motioned for her to hurry up with a simple head jerk.

"You look like you need it." He settled with.

She could have retorted if the energy had been with her, but she felt completely and utterly beat. But she finally stepped from the portal, shutting the door behind her and entered the open passenger door. Sleep pulled at her eyelids even as they pass down the main road in the town, shops with bright neon signs shining down onto her face. Her face burned, and she set her forehead against the glass, the outside air cooling it even as her skin heated it.

Jacob pulled up to a small diner on the corner of two of the lesser used roads; it was the one not many from out of town even knew about. The waitress recognized him from his first day in town, a genuine surprise because the Indian boy now wore more chiselled features and longer hair, and sat them in the back.

"Anything to drink first, dear?" She asked politely, handing them menus and glancing between the two. Her tag read Charlene, and her blonde hair was piled atop her head in a messy bun, stray locks and weathered face giving her an easy and relaxed air. Jacob glanced up at her a flashed an easy grin, "Just water please." She nodded and left.

The diner was relatively empty, the waitress seemed nice enough, but the thought of food made her stomach churn. The questions itched at her insides, and after Charlene came with two glasses of water and left again, one finally escaped. "Who?"

Jacob glanced up at her over his menu, an eyebrow cocked. Was it already time for another one syllable question? A thought sparked, and Jacob couldn't help his wry grin as it spread. "Just call me Brother Wolf." He almost felt triumphant when her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance and thought. Oh no, that's three syllables; we can't have that.

Her lips pulled into a slight frown, the first real complete expression he had seen, but instead of speaking she drank from her glass. Charlene came back and asked what they'd like to order, and Jacob tried not to purse his lips in annoyance; the girl got out of speaking by pointing to what she wanted.

A few moments passed before Jacob realized she was fidgeting on her bench, skinny fingers tapping silently on the tabletop. Her eyes wandered around the diner, before they stopped, and she pointed at the neon clock behind the register. "Shadow." She whispered.

_~interlude~ _

"So, you've lived with my son for a while then?" He could hear the smile in her voice, even down the hallway. "Well, there wasn't much I could do considering the situation I was in, sir." Billy nodded, not knowing the whole story, but he could see the pain in her eyes. Her smile told she just wanted someone to understand.

"Fair enough. I'm Billy by the way, thank you for bringing my son home." Andrea gave him a small grin, and shook his outstretched hand. "It was his own choice, Billy. Jacob is a good person; he just needed someone to ask the right questions so he could find his way home again."

Her words pulled at something in his chest, making him think. "You know, Jacob's had a fair number of girls stopping by to ask about him. What do you think of him, Andrea?" The older man wasn't prepared for the small smile that bloomed across her lips, reaching up into her eyes. "Jacob…" She muttered softly, as if it were a foreign word.

"I can't tell you much, I suppose." She started, unlocking her arms from across her chest and laying them loosely on her legs. "But he's got a smile like starlight, and a heart like rock candy." Billy laughed, having not heard anything about his son quite like that. "That's quite the analogy."

Andrea giggled silently and shrugged. "When you're by yourself a lot, it sort of effects how you think a bit." Billy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Alo-" Jacob took that moment to come back in, clean and dressed in fresh clothing. "You guys miss me?" Billy still wanted to ask what she meant, but couldn't resist smiling at his freshly-shaven son.

"Come here and give your old man a hug, would you?" Jacob laughed, kneeling down to his dad's level and hugging him. "It's good to have you back. Have you checked in with the guys yet?" Jacob sighed, falling back onto the couch next to the brunette girl, reflexively tucking her into his side.

About to answer, he looked down at Andrea who gazed up at him curiously. "You cut your hair." She offered quietly. He ran a hand over his head in slight embarrassment. "Yeah. I figured it was time. The pack would have probably had comments for me too, if I had left it. And no dad, I haven't contacted them yet."

Billy opened his mouth to warn Jacob off talking like that when Andrea's eyebrows furrowed. Her eyes never left Jacob's face, almost as if searching for the answer to the question of life. "Pack? You mean, there's more… People like you?" Billy jumped in before Jacob could answer her. "Jake, you-" A thought sparked and he swallowed. "Son, did you imprint?"

An expression of absurdity passed Jacob's face, before he looked down at his arm across Andrea's shoulders, and his eyes widened comically. Andrea stared intently at the scuffed wooden coffee table, avoiding both of their gazes avidly. Jacob's arm flew from around her shoulders and into his lap.

Billy's eyebrows furrowed. "Jacob, you know the treaty-" The werewolf let out a harsh breath, "Andrea won't tell anyone dad, honest-" Billy held up a hand, "Jacob, normal humans aren't supposed to know about us-" Andrea looked up suddenly, eyebrows furrowed just as deeply as the old man's, eyes hurt. The expression grabbed at him.

"It's not my secret to tell, sir." One simple sentence, took the wind out of his sails. The man in the wheelchair sighed, rubbing at his forehead. "Look, son, why don't you go find the pack at let them know you're home again. Andrea, I'd like to talk to you, if you don't mind." Jacob cast a reluctant look at his father briefly, but stood.

"She knows how to drive the rabbit, so send her to Emily's." He called over his shoulder, and walked out the door. The screen slammed shut, shuddering back and forth for a moment before settling. Rustling clothing and the sound of cracking told them he was gone a few minutes later.

"How much do you know?" Billy instantly asked. Andrea bit her lower lip and laced her fingers together, instantly nervous without the support and strength she had always drawn from standing by Jacob. "I- j-just that he's a wolf. It was an accident; I caught him phasing back one morning. I have trouble sleeping sometimes, whenever he'd leave the cabin I would stay awake watching the window; waiting for him to come back."

Billy watched as she slowly started to shake, starting with her toes and creeping up into her hands; of which she clenched tightly. Her knuckled turned white with the effort to keep them still. "I would ask him questions after that, what was it like, how did it feel to run. I never pressed him to answer, I just waited." Billy set a hand over hers, eyebrows jumping when the cold of them bit into his palm.

"Are you-…?" Her face jerked up, eyes jumping to his. "No-!" She snorted, trying to keep a laugh in at the look on his face rapidly turning from shock to annoyance. She guessed he was thinking Jacob had told her about the vampires too. "Back home I did know a few, they often told me my hands were as cold as their skin, but I'm just a human."

Billy nodded, leaning back into his chair again. "You need to realize that I'm not angry with you, Andrea. We share a treaty with a family of them- the last human to get involved…" She bit her lip again and nodded, not quite sure what reaction to expect at her next words. "Bella. I, um… Jacob told me about that." Surprise lit inside when Billy gave her an incredulous look.

"Really? I never would have thought…" The brunette shrugged lightly, twisting her fingers in her grasp. "He just told me it was time. I'm not sure what that means, but he was happier once he talked about it." Billy nodded slowly, he had to agree; Jacob looked and sounded happier than when they had last spoken.

"Then you realize how important this is?" Billy asked, thinking of the odd relationship the two shared. Andrea nodded, a corner of her mouth tipping upwards. "Like I said before, it's not my secret to tell." Billy shook his head, half in disbelief and half in understanding. "Are you sure you aren't his imprint?"

Andrea giggled, finally letting the grip on her hands go. "With all due respect sir, I think Jacob's got to remember what it's like to be human first." Billy leaned back into his chair, the lock on his wheels creaking quietly. He had been afraid how long Jacob had stayed in his wolf form. Too long, and primal instincts would start to take over.

Looking up at the girl in front of him, he realized she helped him through a pretty rough patch. Silence fell through the room, punctuated by the smell of old wood and coffee, and the sound of the trees rustling out front. "Do you love him?" Billy finally asked. Andrea looked up with a start, body going tense.

Billy watched as she took a slow breath in and let it rush out, shoulders dropping with the motion. "I would…" She visibly had trouble trying to find the right words, like she was fighting with herself. She pursed her lips for a moment, and looked up at him again, unhappiness written across her eyes. "I do. I know he'll find his imprint, and that might even be in the next hour or minute…"

Andrea trailed off, absentmindedly rubbing at what looked like a freshly healed scar on her arm. Billy sighed openly, leaning back and lacing his fingers on his stomach. She wasn't his imprint, but the girl certainly seems genuine. "Tell me about him." The man said suddenly. Andrea looked confused, eyebrows furrowing.

Billy smiled slightly, "What does he make you feel?" Recognition dawned and she hummed, chewing on her lower lip lightly. "Safe. He, Jacob… He found me and took care of me when I wasn't even asking…" A frown played over her lips for a moment before she continued, "I didn't want help. And he picked me up when he was low himself."

Billy nodded for her to continue when she looked up at him, searching his eyes for any sort of understanding for her words. "Jacob picked me up and took care of me, not even thinking that I would want to help him back; to repay him. He wasn't helping me to see what he could get out of it." Pride blossomed in Billy's chest; that definitely sounded like the old Jacob.

Andrea smiled shyly, eyes trailed to the old coffee table, where she could barely make out a set of names carved into one of the legs. "The starlight is in his smile. The sun is in his eyes; his heart is made of…" She paused, searching for the right word, but not grasping it. It wouldn't come, and she looked up with furrowed eyebrows, to see Billy smiling softly at her.

"He is everything precious to me; the stars, the sun, the moon." Andrea took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a minute, and opening them again. "I don't ask anything of him. I won't ask him to love me, because I don't want to place that burden on him, but I do. I…" Billy finally smiled fully, leaning forward again and placing a hand on top of hers.

"I understand. And I really do thank you for bringing him back to us." She nodded slowly, a small smile blooming on her lips. "You aren't supposed to run away from problems. But sometimes you need to in order to be asked the right questions to solve it. " Billy grinned back, "So you've said before." Reaching over, he pulled a pair of keys from the metal dish at one end of the coffee table and tossed them into her lap.

"Go ahead and get going to Emily's home. I'm sure Jacob pointed it out to you on your way in?" Her brown hair swung back and forth as she nodded, "I remember well enough." Billy rolled beside her to the door and paused when she did. "It was an honor to meet you, sir. And, thank you." Billy cocked an eyebrow, a corner of his mouth turning up in curiosity.

"Whatever for?" Andrea shrugged, "Listening, mostly. Asking the right questions." She giggled and flashed him a smile. "Mostly thought, for having a son like Jacob." The last one made him grin. "You know Andrea, the way you talk about him sounds like you imprinted on the boy." The laugh that escaped her lips was completely surprising.

"I'm pretty sure I could only dream, sir. I hope I can see you again." She shut the screen door silently behind her, and Billy watched as she terraced the steps just as quietly, down to the rabbit. "Andrea." He called at the last minute, just as she was about to get inside the car. She looked up, but Billy knew she couldn't possibly see him through the screen.

He hoped she could hear the smile in his voice. "It's not sir, it's Billy. If you ever need anything while you're here, just ask." Her smile was wide, reaching her eyes and crinkling them, and Billy was suddenly struck by how aged her movements seemed to be. "Thank you, Billy. I'll remember that."

And then she was gone, puttering down the road in his son's car. The man in the wheelchair sat back, rubbing his chin in thought. Everything about that girl was curious, indeed.

It didn't take her long to find the house Jacob had pointed out to her before, the tan colored home with slat board siding was peaceful looking with a jeep parked out front. She killed the engine and stuffed the keys into her pocket, knocking on the door. Anticipation hummed inside her, the more she thought about Jacob being inside.

A beautiful woman answered the door a moment later. She was tall and slender, with long sleek black hair. However the three scars pulling at her facial tissue seemed to paralyze any movement. Andrea erased the scars from her mind, and met the woman's eyes instead. "Hello, can I help you…?"

The brunette offered a small smile, "Jacob told me to meet him here. Um, are you Emily?" Emily smiled, "Oh, he told me someone would be dropping by. I'm sorry, he didn't tell me your name though." Andrea smiled again, "Everyone must have been excited to see him. I'm Andrea, it's nice to finally meet you."

Emily shook her offered hand and motioned for Andrea to come inside, "Jacob's spoken about us to you?" She asked, leading Andrea back to the kitchen. The brunette bobbed her head a few times, trying to keep her mouth from watering at the smells. Whatever the Indian woman was cooking, it smelled just as delicious as Jacob always described.

"He's told me quite a bit, I suppose. Billy seemed pretty upset, at least." Emily turned to her, surprise written on her face. "You've spoken to Jacob's father?" Andrea bit her lips, nodding. "We just got into town three or so hours ago. Our first stop was his house." The other woman hummed, turning back to the stove.

Andrea felt like Emily wanted to ask a question, but was holding herself back. There were touches around the house that she had seen when she first came in, and after thinking for a moment, she finally realized something. "Are you an imprint?" Emily fumbled with the stirring spoon she held for a moment, almost dropping it into the soup.

"I-I'm sorry-?" Andrea shoved a hand into her hair in embarrassment. "Um, I mean- Jacob said he had a pack, and they've told me about, Billy and Jacob I mean, they told me about imprinting…" She dropped her hand from her hair onto one of her earrings, tugging at it. "S-sorry, Jacob told me I have moments where I should just shut up. This is probably one of them."

Emily spun around, waving a hand. "No, no, no, I was just surprised! When he told me someone was stopping by I didn't know what to expect. For all I knew, you were one of his high school stalkers." She giggled. "I am though, to answer your question. Are you? Since Jacob told you about it, are you his imprint?"

The way her expression dropped made Emily almost regret asking, until Andrea gave her a brave smile and a small shrug. "I'm not. I hope he finds her though, soon." There was a silence that fell over the room, that Andrea was fine with, but made Emily internally squirm. "Well, the food is almost done. Would you mind calling the guys in from the forest?"

Andrea perked up and nodded, "Of course. Would you like any help before I do?" Emily shook her head, offering a smile. "I've got it, thank you." The brunette nodded again and backtracked the way Emily had taken her in the house, exiting the front door and hanging a left into the forest.

As soon as the trees took over her vision, Andrea stood still, taking in the smells and sounds. Birds were more active on the outer trees, along with other small animals, telling her there was activity on the inside that they didn't like. Leaves rustled and twigs snapped under her feet as she started moving again, alerting all before her that she was on her way in.

Something large and gray passed through her peripheral vision, sudden and swift. Andrea's breath caught as she whipped her head to look, but didn't see anything. It happened again a second later, on her opposite side, and dark brown. Jacob was dark brown, wasn't he? "J-Jacob…? Is that you…?"

Growling caught her hearing a moment later, and she froze. How far had she walked in by now? She almost didn't dare turn to see what was behind her. What a stupid move, Andrea mentally berated herself, sure; Walk far enough into a strange forest that something can easily cut you off from your exit.

The wolf behind her wasn't Jacob. It was smaller, and the coloring was similar, but no. That was most definitely not Jacob. Not thinking straight, Andrea automatically went into fight or flight mode; and ran. A myriad of barks, howls, and yips rang up around the forest, and the dark brown wolf behind her gave chase.

Five meters, Andrea counted, five meters before a grey wolf sprang up. She curved sharply to the left, avoiding it and ran another six. Another wolf sprang from the brush, grey like the second one, but lighter, more of a silver. It let loose a snarl so feral she immediately spun on her heel and shot between the first two wolves.

If she hadn't been scared, Andrea would have said they looked surprised. Her thought process finally kicked in as she dodged trees, and the attempts the silver wolf made to tackle her, and one thing made its way to the front. The brunette opened her mouth and screamed Jacob's name.

The effect was almost instantaneous. The three wolves were shoved to the side, a rocket-like blur of red-brown crashing sidelong into the gray wolf, the force great enough to push it into the silver and brown wolves and then into the underbrush. The gray wolf threw the blur off, and Andrea recognized it to be Jacob as the russet colored wolf tumbled to his feet, phasing back in a split second between her and the other wolves.

"Guys wait!" Andrea's eyes were solidly trained to his back, the long spread of cinnamon colored skin facing her, feeling sickeningly fascinated with the bruises that littered it and how they were quickly healing themselves before her eyes. The loud sound of rustling reached her ears, and soon a man just as tall as Jacob stood behind the three.

No one spoke. Andrea's knees suddenly gave out, and she fell to the forest floor on them behind Jacob, breathlessly watching the four in front of them. "A-are these them?" She finally breathed quietly, "These- they're your pack, then?" The man behind the wolves cast her a look so sharp, Andrea's breath halted for a moment until Jacob cast a hand between them, blocking her face from his view.

"Sam, this is Andrea. This is the girl you said you wanted to thank, she's the one that brought me back." His hand drifted down and Andrea saw the surprise flash across his face. The gray wolf let out a snapping bark, and Jacob phased back, legs spread in a protective stance. Sam watched as Jacob phased back, slowly.

Much slower than he had seen the boy do before. Was it for the girl? He had said she wasn't his imprint, but then again, neither had Bella. He snapped back, eyes never leaving the girl's face. She was a curious human, not even reacting like Bella, who had acted fearless around them. There was no fooling his nose though; he could always smell the fear on her.

This girl, Andrea, held no fear though. He could see it pass through her eyes for a split second, but her scent was calm as ever, mixed with… With wider eyes and better understanding, Sam tuned back in to the pack mind to Paul's yelling. _What the hell do you mean its fine?! She's human you idiot, not even your imprint, and here's you're trying to tell us it's-!_

_Paul!_ He barked, both mentally and physically. Andrea didn't even flinch. _This is neither the place nor the time. Jacob is back, end of story._ The grey wolf growled, _She's not even his imprint and he's been gallivanting around, freely phasing in front of her, _Paul snapped his jaws in Andrea's direction,_ and you're trying to tell _me_ off?!_

Sam snapped back at Paul, who gave a startled yelp. _Stop talkin' out of your ass and let Jacob explain. There's something more to this._ Surprise from Jacob filtered through the link reflecting on all of them. Sam finally trained his eyes on Jacob's russet form instead of jumping between him and Andrea, joining in Quil, Paul, and Embry's stare. _She isn't my imprint,_ Jacob started, but was cut off by the sudden wave of anger and annoyance from Paul.

They were surprised thought when a wave pushed right back, but it wasn't an emotion. Paul surprisingly shrank back, eyes now wary. _She isn't my imprint,_ he repeated,_ but she… I don't know, she's helped me so much you guys. I wasn't going to leave her behind because she was the one to convince me to come back.

* * *

_7.

At the edge of the reservation, there stood a single house. Simply painted in a tan color, the modest two storied home stood watch with empty windows staring out at all that passed. A weeping willow stood in the yard, old and gnarled, with tassels that swept the ground; hung from well over thirty feet.

Many that did not know the story of the home said it was haunted; the grass was trim and neat and the tree should have fallen by now, oh yes. But those who lived on the reservation, if they had studied like good little Quileute boys and girls, just might have come across the legend of the Willow.

And so it goes…

_Long ago, when the white men first came to the wetlands, they kept their distance from the Indians. These men, who howled at the moon, ran with the animals, they were not to be trusted. Yet one family stood apart. They settled near the Quileute, not far from their sleeping grounds. The house they built was unlike their own wooden homes._

_It drew the eyes of even the oldest man, as the men, and the women too, broke down logs into slats. They slathered clay between the openings on the hottest day of the summer, turning it water-tight, and laid stone on the ground. The roof was peaked, and when the first rain came, the water rolled right off._

_The women were not beautiful, by any standard. The men were not handsome, nor did they hunt. They were peaceful, however, and did not bother the Quileute. This suited the chief of the time, and let them be. He ordered the protectors not to bother the family unless they contacted them first._

_The night of a full moon was the first time the chief met one of the women. She was not beautiful by any means. Her eyes were empty sockets of the purest black, her face was long, and her hair grey. The chief felt pity upon the maiden, and did not turn the protectors on her for trespassing and knocking on his door._

"_I must warn you, chief." She spoke. The chief was surprised, not only did the maiden speak in his tongue, but her voice was a melody even the finest of his kin could not obtain. "My sister has foreseen great danger. There must not be the feast of the warrior this moon." Outraged, the chief turned her out. An outsider did not know the importance to the Feast of the Warrior._

_However, as the thin moon drew near, the chief had second thoughts. It would outrage his kin for certain; the feast was to honor the Warrior. However; the woman's words haunted him. And so the feast did not commence. At first, his kin grew furious, the outrage practically lit lightning in the air. But the day of the Feast of the Warrior came, and in the middle of the night, the cold ones came to attack._

_In awe, the chief called upon the woman and her sister, and thanked them greatly. He gave them food and fur to show his appreciation and gratefulness, but the women smiled and declined the gifts. "We merely saw a great tragedy and rightened it. Please do not thank us." And it was so. The chief told the protectors to allow the family to move freely. At first, they were wary, but it gradually faded as they realized that neither the men nor the women exited the home often._

_The night of the new moon, one of the men came. He was not handsome, as his muscles stuck out from his body like an over worked animal. His frame did not fit through the door, so he stood just outside it, with hands laced. "Chief, I must confess. I stumbled upon one of your kin stealing another man's wife. He is unjust and corrupt, chief I confess."_

_Shocked and outraged, he yelled at the man, only to fall into confusion as his great form cowered and he turned and ran. For a moment, the chief wondered if such a strong man had no courage. The new moon passes, and the chief waits for the full moon. One by one, the chief asks each of his kin, sworn on the new moon, if they had committed such an act of stealing another's wife._

_The chief's best protector is the man. At first, the chief cannot believe it. But as the full moon shines its power upon the great White Paw, he sees the strong man had warned him of a great danger. White Paw had become corrupt in his rise of power, eventually leaking secrets to the cold ones. And so, the great protector, White Paw, was banished._

_Again, the chief tried to repay the odd family. He called the strong man to his home, to offer him one of the prettiest maidens of the tribe to be his wife, only to open his door to yet another new face. This new man was not handsome, no, he is oddly beautiful. He was tall and skinny, with long pale hair and skin._

"_I must apologize, chief, for my brother does not have the courage to come." Yet his voice was like the woman's. The deepness that it rang with was as sweet as ripe berries, and swept through the room like the ocean. Stunned to silence, the chief merely nods. "He thanks you for offering him a reward, but declines. There is nothing just about stealing another man's wife."_

_Again, the chief nods. The pale man smiles, an expression that looks oddly broad on his skinny face, bows twice and leaves. Behind the chief, the maiden that had been prepared has eyes just as wide as his own when the door is finally shut._

_On the first rain of the cold months, there is a knock at the door, late at night. Wary, the chief removes himself from the warm furs of his bedding, and opens the door. Yet a new woman stands there in the rain, clothing soaked and hair plastered across her face. She is not beautiful, no, but she is handsome. She was tall and lithe, with broad shoulders and a powerful stature._

_However, this woman was handsome in the way that his warriors were. Scars littered her body like war paint. "Chief, I must warn you, while my sister is occupied. You must not send all of your protectors to the front, no matter what." The woman peered over her shoulder anxiously, hands coming together in front of her. "Please, chief, heed these words, for the willow has told me."_

_Just as lightning cracks overhead, the woman is gone, sprinting through the rain and down the muddied hill. Confused, the chief closes the door, and returns to his bedding. It does not make sense until two moons later. The colds ones had come, and the new protectors were young and eager, darting between the older wolves and snatching at their fingertips._

_With wide eyes, the chief remembers her raspy words, and calls them back. They gather in, and the cold ones retreat, in fear that the wolves had finally become wise to their plans. The chief cannot tell how long he has until the cold ones come back, and in desperation, he knocks on the strange house of the odd family._

_The door opens, and he is struck by the sight of the woman without eyes. Her lips smile at him, and she gestures him inside easily. "Chief, I have been expecting you. My little sister has warned you against my wishes." Taken aback, the chief nods, and then realizes that the woman can't see him. "You were not meant to know. The vampires are meant to take away half of your kin."_

_Dumbfounded, the chief stares at her. "What is the meaning of such an event?" He finally speaks. _

"_We were created to humor the gods. A girl with no eyes could not see. No, but she was wise beyond sight itself. A man as strong as ten buffalo but without courage. A man, weak and delicate, beautiful as a woman, but with a mesmerizing voice. A woman as strong as any other man her size, but mentally weak, scarred and scared. A woman without blood, without emotion, yet kind as a mother. A man, forever asleep, yet eternally awake, forever suspended in a state of neither life nor death."_

_One by one, the chief looks at the five in the room, before looking at the woman without eyes once more. "Where is the third man?" He asks, curious. The woman smiled sadly and gestures to the young tree in the front yard through the curious opening in the wall. "He is forever bonded to the earth, for without it, he shall die. And without him, we will die." Eyes wide, the chief looks at the tree, and back to the men and women._

"_He is connected with you all that deeply?" The beautiful man steps forward and smiles. "Without him, we are not alive. Without him, our hearts will not have sustenance nor warmth nor rest. The gods created us to humor them, and they do not take well to those who break us apart. We are one."

* * *

_

8.

Jacob wasn't sure where he was. He did know he's been running for a few days, and that the forest he was in was significantly different, but he could have been somewhere in Illinois for all he knew. Directions didn't matter at the moment, the heartbroken Quileute boy couldn't make himself care. The trees grew high, towering over his head so far, he had to crane it to even glimpse the beginning of the bristled branches.

One thing Jacob found himself liking was the lack of low-growing branches. All through the day he ran between these bare trunked trees, testing his agility, seeing how long it took for his wolven muscles to give out. That week, Jacob Black found that it took five days of constant running without food or water, to forcefully phase back into a human.

The night of the full moon, Jacob lay naked on the forest floor, panting heavily for once in his time as a Quileute Guardian. Memories and thoughts passed through his mind at rapid fire, now that he had nothing to occupy his mind with. In an effort to physically remove them, he picked his battered body up and stumbled out of the forest. Without food or water, his healing factor was slower. Bruises hindered his movements, reminding him of there presence as his arms, legs, neck, or even hands shifted.

A road blossomed into view, apparently cutting right through the forest. For a moment, he wondered if he should cross it. A large truck rumbled in the distance, shifting into a lower gear. Jacob assumed they had just entered between the trees and had taken precaution. He backed into the trees as the bright lights hit upon him, and the vehicle swung into view.

It was a truck. For a moment, his heart leaped into his throat. But he knew it wouldn't be. As the truck passed, the mechanic part of Jacob's mind picked out the old Ford emblem on the side, the stacks standing up from the bed of the truck, and the black paint with chrome detailing. A breath he didn't know he'd been holding came rushing out as it passed. Turning to enter the forest again, Jacob paused when he heard the truck's gears shift, and the tires roll back in his direction.

In the moonlight, he could have sworn for a moment, that it _was_ Bella with her upper body hanging out of the driver's door. They stared at each other for a moment, before Bella cocked her head to one side and called out to him. "Look, you're sexy and everything, but it would be ten times better if you were wearing clothes. Aren't you cold?"

It wasn't Bella. He turned and stepped back into the forest, only to pause again at the sound of the truck idling on the road. Jacob stood between the thick out skirting trees, watching. She unnervingly stared right back, dark eyes almost drilling into his own. The humming that started soon after all but hypnotized him. "Ya'know, it's supposed to rain in the morning. Ya need a ride?" She drawled softly.

He didn't know where he was in the morning. The bed beneath his back was soft and used, and the sheets smelled fresh and clean with a lingering hint of rain. The walls and flooring were rich tanned wood, with pictures hung and a rag-style rug to keep the cold at bay. Vague sounds of pots and pans came from beyond the door, and when Jacob listened hard enough, he could hear the ceiling creek from light footsteps. To his left stood a small simple night stand, a digital clock glowed in a soft blue, telling him it was well past noon.

Shifting in the bed to sit up, something fell off of it to his left, and peering over the side he found a once-neatly folded stack of clothing. The bruises and cuts he had accumulated were healed; however his muscles were tight and sore. Jacob moved slowly, picking himself off the bed and moving around the side to pick up the articles. A small slip of white paper was unearthed after he set the shirt, boxers, and sweatpants on the bed.

Picking it up, Jacob found a few words scratched on it. _Bathroom is the door to your right. Door to the left leads upstairs, come on up anytime. Sorry if I woke you._ Jacob examined his arms, suddenly finding crusted blood and forest grime caked his body. How long had he been phased again? The growing headache cut off his thoughts, and the Quileute boy opened the right-side door.

When she looked up from the stove and regarded him with a completely unreadable smile, Jacob realized the moon must have been playing tricks on him. This Not-Bella was very different than Real-Bella. Her hair was almost as dark as his, and was tightly pulled back from her face, a face definitely shaped differently than Bella's sweet heart shaped face. Her once dark eyes were hazel, brightly gazing at him with a stunning mix of golden brown and a green like he had only seen through leaves.

"Morning. You really slept like the dead if you've only gotten up now. I've been cooking since six am." He only nodded, standing in the portal. Jacob was suddenly struck with the homesickness of standing in Emily's kitchen while his brothers eagerly snatched tastes of whatever she was whipping up. Cabinets opened and closed as she retrieved spices, flour, sugar, and set them out on the dark counter tops.

"You can take whatever you'd like from the oven. I'm pretty sure there's plenty." He nodded again, but she had already turned back to the counter top, spreading a fine layer of flour down. Mentally he shook his head. Was this girl crazy? He opened the oven and removed one of the white dishes, not bothering with mitts, and turned to his right back up the hallway.

The next open doorway lead to a double room, twice as large as he thought it would have been. A table that sat at least ten people didn't even take up a fourth of the room, laid out six feet from the portal atop a deep mahogany rug. The table was fully set, with plates, silver wear, glasses, and two pitchers of ice water.

A wide double paned window took up most of the wall, showing him the house had a sizable back yard without grass, lined by trees. Rain showered down, like the girl had told him the night before. The dish in his hands burned lightly, bringing him back to attention, and Jacob realized he was still standing there. He circled the table to the window side and set it down. Taking a seat at the head of the table, Jacob was struck with the sight of the empty seats.

Sam could have sat at the other head, Jared, Paul, Embry and Seth to his right. Emily was to his left, next to Quil, Seth, and Leah. An overwhelmingly empty feeling settled in his chest, and the food in front of him didn't seem as appetizing anymore. Sighing, he leaned back in the chair, head lolling to one side.

The knock that came from the portal snapped him awake, and Jacob absently rubbed at his face, wondering when he had fallen asleep. The girl smiled softly, leaning in the doorway. He vaguely wondered about the ache in his chest. "Hey. You didn't eat anything." Jacob shrugged. Food wasn't important right now. She grinned wryly. "You know, you have to talk to me some time."

Jacob shrugged again, he really didn't. "A couple of my friends are coming downstate. They should be here in a half hour." So? Did that mean she wanted him to leave? "You can either stay up here, or go back to sleep if you're so tired." "You don't want me to leave?" Damn. Speaking was uncomfortable. His voice was underused and his throat was still raw from howling. The girl smirked triumphantly. Damn again.

"No." warmth was finally seeping through the empty feeling, battling along the outskirts, like the way the colors blended in her eyes. "Why?" She straightened up, letting her crossed arms drift down. "You look like need a place to stay." She turned on her heel to head back into the kitchen and paused for a moment to call over her shoulder. "Stay in there if you like. I've got local cable and movies. I'd think you remember where the bedroom is."

The warmth faded as she left, and he realized the white dish was cold. Jacob suddenly breathed in deep, blinking widely as if suddenly awake. The pack wasn't sitting around the table. The girl wasn't Bella. He probably wasn't even close to La Push or Forks. The girl in the kitchen had picked up a total stranger on the side of the road and let him sleep in her house, because he 'looked like he needed it'.

Knocked out of his daze, Jacob surveyed the room. It would have been large enough for the whole pack to lounge comfortably, with the table, a large plush couch and two armchairs. Half of the room was wooden and the other half had stiff but comfortable looking dark tan carpet. The walls were a similar color, but lighter, reminding him of Seth's coat.

A good sized flat screen TV hung on the far wall, framed by two large shelves on either side, filled with DVD cases and old cassette tapes. Everything was lit well enough by the light through the large window to keep the lights hung from two tracks on the ceiling off. Pictures hung on the walls depicting anything from people to buildings, to even scenery.

Chimes echoed through the house softly, and Jacob heard a door open. Two voices chimed a name in unison, engraving it into his mind. "Laney!" The girl, Laney, giggled. The sound of rustling cloth and footsteps told him they were walking down the hallway. He studied a photograph hung in the middle of the room as they passed on the way to the kitchen, and out of the corner of his eye a head of red hair darted in and out of the room. Staying completely silent, he listened attentively as they started speaking in hushed voices.

"Oh my God, Laney, I thought I smelled a man!" Laney laughed, and Jacob heard her pick something up, and drop it back down onto the counter. "You liar, Jean. You're pregnant, not turning into a super human." Cloth rustled, Jacob assumed someone had shifted. "I don't know Laney, when Jean came to pick me up she could tell I snuck Adam into the dorms again."

Laney laughed, pulling the spoon she was stirring a pot of sauce with out and pointing it in her redheaded friend's direction. "So now Jean suddenly has super human senses thanks to baby Bradly?" The woman smiled and patted her bulging stomach fondly, "He's my miracle baby, I know it!" Laney laughed, returning the spoon to the sauce as it bubbled.

"So, who is he? Is he here? I tried calling you last night and your phone was off, did he sleep over?" The brunette choked on her own saliva, "Tati! Oh my gosh!" Tati and Jean looked at each other, eyes wide, before they pounced on the girl in front of them. "Spill!" They chimed. Laney laughed, shrugging them off. "Jeez guys, he's just a stray." Tati rolled her eyes and waved her off. "Pff, like I'll believe that. He's totally your dream boat."

Jacob was dumbfounded in the other room, still staring at the photograph, but not seeing it. Dream boat? Had she just called him a stray? He heard one of them huff. "Lay off guys, he just looked like he needed a place to stay. I don't even know his name, and besides, remember the sexuality talk back in freshman year?"

One of them groaned in annoyance. "Oh come off it Laney, you can't be asexual forever!" Someone hummed softly and he heard footsteps echo in the kitchen and the oven door creek open. "I can and I probably will be. Honestly though, I'm just offering him a place to stay. So don't freak him out, alright? I don't think he's from around here."

One of them hummed in appreciation, "I wouldn't mind showing him around." Someone was smacked lightly, two laughed. "Remember what I said about monogamous relationships, Tati?" Laney teased. Jacob found himself snickering quietly. It felt odd, incredibly odd actually, laughing to himself while eavesdropping on some stranger's conversation with her friends.

Jacob turned to the couch, and peered around before sitting on it, suddenly feeling like an intruder. It almost swallowed his large frame up. Looking around again, he found a remote on the floor by his foot, and switched the TV on. The two o'clock news hummed to life, and while the anchor woman spoke energetically, he watched the weather forecast scroll across the bottom.

He was in _California._ And not just in _California_, but almost halfway down the coast! Stunned, the Quileute boy didn't even hear the trio walk in, and sit at the table until a shadow was cast over his shoulder. He looked up to Laney, finding her hazel eyes curiously searching his face. The headband she had been wearing earlier was gone, and Jacob took in the way her hair fell in lazy waves on either side of her face, softening the harsh mature shape of it. "There's more than enough if you'd like to eat with us." As soon as she stopped speaking, his stomach gurgled noisily.

Tati and Jean laughed from the table, making Jacob blush. Laney grinned down at him, "I'll take that as a yes." She waited until he sat back into the chair he had occupied before to unveil the white dishes she had set onto the table. "Whalah, La menu de Italiana." She announced with flourish. A small smile tugged at his lips when the two women clapped. Jean, a redhead with a delicate square face and dancing blue eyes, grinned widely.

"I love you so much Laney, you have no idea how much I've been craving your cooking!" She cheered, accepting a generous plate from the brunette, and a jab in the ribs from the blonde next to her. Tati was an athletic looking girl, with short choppy blonde hair, and a thin heart shaped face. She had deep brown almond shaped eyes that tilted upwards when she smiled.

She accepted a plate from Laney as well, but bit her lip and darted a look at Jacob. Laney caught it and looked between the two curiously. "So um…" Laney sighed, "Spit it out, Tati." "What's your name?" The blonde blurted before grinning sheepishly. Laney rolled her eyes and handed a white dish with a lid to Jacob. He accepted it from her gloved hands with a raised eyebrow and set it before himself on the table, removing the lid, he found half of the dish was filled with pasta and the other half held salad greens and slices of chicken.

Both shares would have been more than enough for three people. He looked up at her curiously, but found the trio had carried on with their conversation already, and in Jean's case; had already started eating. "…f you don't know his name, what do you call him?" Laney shrugged, "He sort of looks like a puppy does he? If he refuses to talk to me again I was thinking of calling him Sam, ya'know?"

Jacob was sure they were looking at him for a completely different reason than why he had choked on a lettuce leaf. Jean looked over at Tati with a raised eyebrow, "He doesn't look like one to watch Supernatural." "Jacob." He muttered quietly, stabbing at another slice of chicken to hide his embarrassment. Of course they didn't mean _him._ They didn't mean the Sam he knew.

Laney watched the man at the end of the table as he ate quietly, her friends chattering at her side animatedly, creating a great contrast in the room. Soon enough Jean was leaning back in her chair, patting her stomach softly and sighing in satisfaction. "That was _the_ best meal I have had since you left the dorms." Tati laughed, "Poor Jeanny here's been starved without you, Laney." She ribbed the other girl.

The brunette giggled, standing and stacking up all the dishes. "Don't be silly guys, I know Dan is a great cook." Jean scoffed, waving a hand. "I remember your exact words about the pasta sauce at are wedding were, 'Traditional pasta sauce does not call for sugar.'. " Laney smiled sheepishly and shrugged, "Ok, so maybe I'll send him a recipe book for his birthday, how about that?" Jean nodded vigorously, "That definitely works!"

Quietly, Jacob stood from his seat and swept up all of the dishes before Laney could lift them, walking easily under the weight that had taken the girl three trips to carry. The sound in the room seemed cut off until the Quileute boy had entered the kitchen. "Damn. Are you sure you're asexual? Boy just took the dishes to the kitchen for you." Jean pointed out.

Jacob could all but hear the blush that formed over Laney's cheeks, "Alright, alright, alright, so he's sexy, well mannered, and possibly in a relationship squabble. Guys, I'm not going to try to seduce some random guy who's possibly emotionally hurt." Bella. His dark eyes were slowly hidden from view as he breathed deep, trying to erase the picture that had formed in his mind.

"So you admit he's sexy." Tati prodded. The smell of soap, grapefruit, tomatoes, and wheat swirled around his head. He flicked the sink on in hopes of drowning out their voices. "Did the water just turn on?" Laney asked, voice incredulous. He could still hear them just fine. "Don't change the subject, Bat-Ears." Jean playfully sneered. A small blue sponge sat next to a bottle of pinkish soap, the source of the grapefruit smell. It was tartly sweet, soothing over the bitter taste in his mouth.

"I'm not, I'm not, it's just… Jeez, not even my uncle washes the dishes." Tati laughed, "That's right, he's over at his girlfriend's house, isn't he?" Jean huffed impatiently, "You're letting her get away without admitting she thinks Sam is hot!" Unknowingly, Jacob flinches as he picked up the first dish. "His name is Jacob, and I don't think he's hot. Can't we leave this alone?"

"Nope, it's part of being pregnant. I've developed a horribly one track mind." Giggled and laughs erupted, and Jacob had to grin. That was something his father had told him about his mother. "So are you going to admit it?" He heard a groan and the sound of something hitting the wooden tabletop. Laney had probably let her forehead hit it in annoyance.

"Fine, fine, I admit he's dead sexy. God, let it go?" One of the girls snorted. Jacob was blushing. "God might let it go, girl, but I won't." Jean chimed. Tati laughed, "Oh, come on Jean. Maybe you should let Laney alone now. Besides, what if he has bat hearing like Laners? He might be able to hear us." The sound of a chair scraping backwards echoed into the hallway, alone with the sound of something falling heavily and a short yelp.

Back in the dining room, Laney struggled to pull herself up into a kneeling position so she could see her two friends. Tati and Jean were trying to stifle their furious giggles, their normally brass and graceful friend was suddenly very quiet and clumsy enough to fall out of her chair. "This isn't funny guys, I totally didn't think of that!" Jacob appeared at the portal with a curious expression. Laney all but glared at him, "I'm perfectly fine!"

He raises an eyebrow and stares at her, and Laney scowls, face turning pink. "It was an accident! I don't usually fall over so easily." His eyebrows trade heights and she hastily picks herself up, returning the chair to its own upright position. "Don't look at me like that, everyone is entitled to an off day, aren't they?" Tati and Jean looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Was Laney having a completely one-sided conversation with someone she had never met before?

Jacob shrugged and turned back down the hallway to dry the dishes. When the brunette turned back to her friends, she realized what had just happened and cast them an annoyed glance. "You know what, I don't need this from you two. Reading one person is more than enough." The two giggled.

_~interlude in which Jacob has returned to the forest. I was thinking he'd gone back three other times, and Laney has brought him back each time~_

The door to the hideous black truck swung open, and a girl's head swung out of it. Her lips were pulled into a large smile, practically beaming at him like the sun through rain clouds. "Hey'a handsome. We aren't going to be making a habit of this, are we?"

The song on the radio played loud to his ears, echoing hollowly. The singer's husky voice hummed through the cabin as she drove down the winding road of the mountain, and soon enough she began to hum along. Slowly, Jacob fell asleep, blissfully dreamless, just as he had the two times before.

_~interlude. Laney's convinced him to go back home~_

Laney laughed, tugging at Jacob's arm and hugging it to her chest as they walked through the bar. "Oh, don't be such a baby. We'll get a table in the back, you can help me plan what to do here, and we'll get out." The Quileute boy tried to ignore all of the double glances he was getting and grimaced. "I don't see why you had to stop in _this_ bar though."

The brunette rolled her eyes and kicked out a chair for his to sit in. "Just hang out here and try to blend into the walls you big puppy." Jacob narrowed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her. "I'm not a puppy you squirrely ferret. Fetch me something to drink." She scoffed right back, putting her hands on her hips. "Does that mean I'm the man in this relationship, Mister Jacob?"

Jacob cocked an eyebrow at her. "Aren't you supposed to use my last name instead of my first?" Laney dropped her offended stance and laughed, spinning on her heel and calling back to him, "I don't know your last name." Taken aback, Jacob watched her saunter to the bar. Had he really never told her his full name?

A familiar hair style caught his eye, and they went wide as he realized who was staring back at him. Startled and slightly distressed, he ducked his head down and pretended to study a wall hanging. The seat across from him at the small two-chair table scraped back and for a moment, Jacob thought Lanely had turned back, until the scent across from him wasn't the cedar and saltwater musk he associated with the girl.

Wary, he lifted his head, and grimaced at the sight of Quil. The other Quileute barked a laugh at his expression. "Oh come on Jake, you can't be _that _unhappy to see me. How was your vacation?" Jacob read between the lines, the humor on Quil's face didn't match the look in his eyes. _Where have you been?_ To anyone else, it looked like two friends catching up.

"Not bad. Found myself in California. Long way from home, eh?" Quil blinked, obviously surprised. "California? Jeez. You visit any interesting towns on your way down?" _You've been gone for a while._ Jacob swallowed, taking interest in one of the carvings in the table. "Nope. It was pretty much a straight shot. Broke down though about halfway through the state. A friend drove me back up."

_I ran the whole way. Someone found me and drove me back. _Quil's eyebrows shot up, gawking openly. "Do they know- are they here? Oh my God, Jake, what the Hell?" He drew up a hand and dragged it across his face. Not even a five month long vacation from Quil could prepare him from the questions still tumbling out of his mouth. A cup was set down before him, drawing both of their gazes.

He didn't think he could have been any more grateful for Laney's reappearance. She grinned at him, eyes flashing between him and Quil before sipping at the soda popping merrily in her own cup. "So, you already found one of your local buddies?" She chirped, setting down her cup and leaning against the arm rest of his chair. Quil openly stared at her in surprise. Jacob nodded, "Quil, this is Laney. She's the one who pretty much dragged me back."

Laney scoffed, lifting herself up and over the arm rest and into Jacob's lap, letting her legs dangle over the rest and leaning her back against the wall. "Baby." She jibbed, before turning to Quil. "He's just sore that I dragged him in here. You should have heard him wailing while I parked. 'Anywhere but here, Lanes! Anywhere, come on, we could go to a diner instead or something!'" she tried to imitate his voice, failing humorously.

Jacob rolled his eyes and reached for the second cup she had brought, engaging in a staring contest when she knocked his hand off course. Too confused and bewildered to talk, Quil watched the two. Laney's mouth was pressed into a straight line until Jacob raised his eyebrows in turn before pulling a cheesy movie-worthy open mouthed wink, making her burst out laughing and hide her face in her hands. "You win, you win."

Quil was almost positive Jacob was _purring_ as he claimed his prize and took a swig. Her giggling subsided, but a grin was pulled across her face as her hands dropped. "So Quil, is there anybody I need to blackmail Puppy into seeing while I'm here?" As the sentence sunk in, Quil snorted, trying to keep from bursting into laughter at the stricken look on Jacob's face.

"You let her call you _Puppy_?" He snickered. "Laney." Jacob whined. Laney looked up at him with a perplexed expression. "Damn. You mean I have to call you Jacob here? Puppy is so much more fun though. She turned back to Quil. "Seriously, have you seen his mopey face? He looks like just a puppy!" This sent Quil into another round of snickers, and Jacob groaned dramatically in his seat.

Quil's laughing subsided, and he found the two in another staring match. He caught Jacob's eye and smirked, making the brunette in his lap cheer in victory when he looked away to glare at his friend. "Oh damn. Now I have two people against me." Jacob huffed. Laney laughed, reaching up and patting him on the cheek. "Don't worry Pu-er… Jacob…" She paused and made a face like there was a bad taste in her mouth.

"Damn this is gunna be weird. I've been calling you Puppy for how long now?" Quil snickered, earning a glare from Jacob. Laney nudges him, pulling his attention back to her. "Seriously, how long has it been? Half a year already?" He shrugged, grabbing his cup from the table and drinking some, only to stare at her from over the rim. "Five or so months. Have you been drinking my soda?"

She looked away innocently, humming a noncommittal noise. "Soda thief." She scoffed, "Don't even go there Puppy, I could say what you're the thief of, but your friend is across the table from us." Quil perked up, and Jacob could almost see the cogs in his head spinning. "Oh please, Friend-Across-The-Table in interested to hear what _Puppy_ is a thief of." He paused at the inscrutable look she regarded him with, feeling like he had suddenly done something wrong.

"Don't call Jacob, Puppy. Her left eye twitched, "It sounds so _weird_ when someone else says it." Jacob looked unamused. "May I remind you, I don't even want you to be calling me Puppy. By the way, why are you sitting on me?" Laney grinned up at him, "Well, when I came back, my chair was mysteriously occupied, so I took the next best seat. The extraordinary, the comfortable, the talking Jacob Chair!" She chirped.

Quil barked out a laugh, "She's funny. I like her." Jacob rolled his eyes as Laney beamed, "Don't encourage her. Please." Quil winked at Laney anyways. "So, have you called anyone yet?" Jacob winced at the curious look the girl in his lap cast him. "We just got into town, actually." Laney spoke instead. Quil took in this information and nodded slowly, "Well, you should probably at least call Sam, if not your dad. He's been worried you know."

Jacob sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, pausing when Laney patted his knee softly under the table. "Well, I was hoping to occupy him long enough to find me a hotel. Is that ok Mister Police Man?" She jibbed humorously. Quil smirked when Jacob cast a short glare at the top of her head. "How about this, I tell Sam you're back in town, and you go see your dad." He offered.

That sounded significantly more appealing than calling the man, but Jacob knew he should stop by their house instead. What time did Emily get home? Jacob sighed. "Nah, I should suck it up and stop by their house. Thanks anyways." Quil nodded, "Alright then." Silence lapsed over the trio before Laney started squirming in Jacob's lap. "Sooo, can we go now? This bra is killing me." She grumbled. Quil laughed out loud when Jacob's face flushed, drawing the attention of a few of the people around them.

"You really had to say that?" She shrugged, hopping back up. "It's true, I mean I figured I might as well look presentable if I was going to meet new people and leave the sports bras for working out." Jacob opened his mouth to answer and stopped, a disturbed look crossing his face. "I'm not having this conversation out loud in front of my brother."

Laney cocked an eyebrow, looking between the two. "Brother?" Quil snorted, rubbing at the back of his head. "Something like that. You guys should probably get going." The two boys rose at the same time and Quil clapped Jacob on the back, pulling him into a brief 'manly' hug that made Laney smirk. "Go talk about your girlfriend's boobs on the way to whoever's house."

Flushing, Jacob made to grab his friend, who darted out of the way. They heard him cackling all the way across the room and out the door. Laney snickered into her hand beside Jacob, smirking up at him. "So, he's nice." She quipped. "Go get in the truck." He grumbled, shoving her shoulder lightly. He paused a moment, halfway passed the bar that was set up in the middle of the room, and sighed under his breath.

"I'll catch up in a minute." He mumbled down to Laney, who had paused as well and shot him a curious look. She nodded and walked the rest of the way, stuffing down the feeling of missing the warmth gone from her side. Jacob approached the bar, waiting for the girl with her back to him to turn. Soon enough, she did, eyes going wide at the sight of him before a small smile spread across her lips.

"Jacob. I thought I saw you earlier." Emily said.

* * *

9.

"I dunno Jake, I've still got homework, and I offered to show someone around town later-" Jacob Black laughed into the phone he held up to his ear, leaning forward on the railing of his house lazily. "Come on Bells, it's the annual winter bonfire! Just bring whoever it is with you." Isabella Swan rolled her eyes, setting a book down on her dinner table that she had just taken from her backpack. Another pack sat in the chair across from her, signifying someone else was there with her. Sounds came from around the corner in the kitchen, telling where the other person was. "I'll ask, how about that?" Jacob grinned triumphantly. "Laney?"

A girl with short choppy blonde hair popped her head around the corner, half a cracker sticking out from between her lips, "'Sup?" She mumbled around it curiously. "My friend is asking if you'd like to go to the Winter Bonfire down at the beach tonight. I know I said I'd show you around town…" Laney grinned, snatching the cracker from her mouth between her pinkie and ring finger, and forming a peace sign with her pointer and middle.

"Hey, I'm all for lighting large amounts of flammable items on fire for fun. I can tote you around like a GPS on the weekend." She disappeared again and Bella laughed, shifting the phone back to her mouth. "You get all that?" She whispered into the receiver, knowing Jacob's hearing probably picked up the other girl's voice. The Quileute boy was already grinning madly, "I heard. I like her already too. Do you guys need a ride?"

Billy's old truck had been giving Bella a bit of trouble lately, and she hadn't had a chance to bring it up to Jacob's garage yet. "No, I don't think so. Laney has a car." The brunette paused for a minute, thinking. "Jeep, type thing. It's not a car, but it's not a jeep, or a truck… What do you call that?" Jacob laughed, tugging at the hem of his shirt. A run sounded nice before the whole bash got kicked off. "A jeep type car, what? Like a Suzuki?" Bella snapped her fingers, "Yeah, that's it! Anyways, she'll probably want to drive, so don't worry about it."

The Indian boy nodded to himself, "Alright then. See you around seven." "Yeah, seven. Bye Jake." Laney rounded the corner with a platter balanced on one hand and two cups of water in the other. "So, random party invite. Not a bad way to go, for a newbie." She plopped into the chair next to her backpack and propped her feet up on it, reaching for one of the crackers and a slice of cheese. Bella grinned, pulling out a worn notebook from her bag and taking her own seat. "They hold them every year, and there isn't really a rule about who can go and who can't. It's pretty funny that everyone thinks they're private."

Laney hummed, doodling on a notepad she had set out before taking over the Swan's kitchen. "Ya'know, there's a thing called crashing a party. Anyone who doesn't try to crash a supposedly private party when there's a bonfire, is pretty much an idiot in my eyes." Bella almost choked on the cracker she had taken from the platter, a result of laughing and trying to swallow at the same time. The blonde winked mischievously and took a swig from her glass. "So, who's throwing the whole shebang? Gotta pay my respects to the Head Matchstick when we get there."

Bella laughed again, coughing around the cracker crumbs. "Where do you pull those lines from?" She coughed out, reaching for her own glass to soak the dry crumbs in her throat. Laney grinned, "They live in this little corner of my mind. Sometimes they don't feel like coming out, but today they feel like takin' a little fly around the block. So, is it the Jake guy? Is he single and a particularly fine species of homosapien? I heard there was a Reservation in the town over, perhaps one of them?"

Taken aback, Bella choked on her water. Setting her glass down she coughed a few times, and stared dumbly at Laney for a few minutes until the girl laughed again. "Ok, ok, sorry. I'm a bit hyperactive today, it comes with being nervous. In all seriousness though, I'm not hitting on anyone, nor will I be." She flashed a grin and a peace sign. The awkwardness still hung around their heads until Bella snickered quietly. "I would love to see Jacob's face if you started hitting on him."

The blonde across the table giggled, "Oh, so his name's Jacob?" Bella laughed, flipping the pen in her hands around. "Yeah. You'll meet him and all his friends and probably his dad at the bonfire. Yes, they're from the Reservation, and I can't answer the second to last question." Laney pursed her lips for a moment, doodled a couple more things on her pad, and looked up again. "You spoken for then?" Bella smirked, not looking up from her page. "Yup."

It took the duo almost twice as long to get there, apparently Laney could drive, but she was horrible with directions. Never the less, they arrived just as the sun was setting, and laughingly stumbled their way down to the beach. Laney tripped over a strategically grown bush while laughing particularly hard at something Bella said when a pair of feet stopped in front of them. "Bella, you guys are late!" There was a snort, and Laney knew the owner of the mildly husky voice was probably staring down at her, almost face down in the sand.

"Well, looks like you and your new friend have clumsiness in common." Laney lifted herself up and ran a hand swiftly over her face to knock the sand free. "I'm not clumsy, I just prefer to live a dangerous lifestyle, ya'know, livin' on the edge." She quipped, avoiding his face while she could. Bella laughed, realizing she was drawing out looking up at Jacob. Laney drew herself up, dusting at her black jeans and dark teal long sleeve before finally looking at the boy in front of them.

Her hazel eyes grew wide as she found she had to look up, and up, and up. "Damn Bella… Hot damn." Mirth danced in his eyes at the girl's words, while Bella had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. "Laney, this is Jacob. He's the Head Matchstick." Jacob cast her a funny look before offering Laney a hand. "Jacob Black. I'll be lighting your fire this evening." The blonde snorted, grasping his hand as tight as she dared, she knew they would be freezing and just standing three feet from this guy told her he would probably just have to touch a twig and it would burst into flame.

And she wasn't just hitting on him. "Melanie Stone," She smiled mischievously and winked, "Don't forget, a fire likes to be stroked." Bella's hand suddenly wasn't a good enough barrier, especially when a blush was evident on Jacob's face. He retracted his hand, shoving them in his pockets. "Uh, right, uh, then…" Laney suddenly burst out laughing, falling backwards into the sand. "Oh my God, Bella, oh my god, he's adorable. Seriously."

Blushing furiously, Jacob turned to the brunette, "You can show her over when you guys are done, right?" He was gone anyways, leaving Bella and Laney laughing at his expense. Theirs was soon joined by the crows and howls from the group ahead, and Laney picked up Jacob yelling at someone to shut up. Their giggled died down and Laney snickered over at Bella, "He really is adorable.", sending her into another fit of giggles. When Bella's finally subsided, and Laney was left with random spurts of snickering, they dusted themselves off and carried on to the bonfire pile.

Laney hung back a few steps, eventually stopping at where a group of picnic tables had been set up, while Bella walked on ahead to talk to Jacob. She didn't notice the lack of steps shifting the sand behind her until Jacob regarded her with apprehension, before noticing the blonde was gone. Someone dropped a large plastic platter on the table, making Laney jump and hold her breath. The dark form behind her suddenly flickered to life as the bonfire was lit, and she found herself watching the fire dance in his eyes. "Who're you?" He suddenly grunted, making her wake up.

She snorted to herself, a small embarrassed giggle, and held out a hand. "Laney. I'm a friend of Bella's I guess, since she told me to tag along." The man grunted, eyes flickering to her hand and then over her shoulder. He muttered something along the lines of 'Excuse me' and passed her, stalking his way towards the bonfire. Laney snorted to herself and folded her arms over her chest, attempting to warm her fingers by pressing them into her sides. "Well, he was nice." She mumbled, turning to watch the flames dance. Jacob was talking to the man while Bella stood next to them, her pale face lit up by the fire, shadows dancing across her suddenly annoyed face.

"Hey, you're new around here." The cheerful voice was a welcome one, although just as unexpected as the dark man from before. The boy she turned back to see was sitting comfortably at the picnic tables like he had been there the whole time, dark hair falling into his face and leaning over the table top on long arms. Slightly caught off guard, she looked at him with her head tilted to on side. "Have you been sitting there the whole time?" He grinned, "No, I just got here while Paul snubbed you to go yell at Jake."

Laney peered over her shoulder, and sure enough, there was Jacob and Bella in a yelling match with the other man. She turned back to the boy and made a face. "I don't think he likes me much." He laughed, "Don't take it personal, Paul doesn't really like anybody. You wanna sit down?" He asked, motioning across from him. The blonde shrugged and sat on the bench, digging her toes into the still warm sand. "I'm Seth by the way. Who're you?" Laney decided she liked Seth; he was pretty cute in a cheerful little brother sort of way.

"Melanie Stone, or Laney. Nice to meet you." He held out his hand first and Laney grinned, she definitely liked this kid. Seth jumped when she grasped his hand, "Woah, your hands are freezing!" Over at the bonfire, Jacob and Paul froze, as did the figures around the other side. Laney smiled in embarrassment, attempting to pull her hand back but finding Seth holding her hand between his own, attempting to warm it. "I have pretty bad circulation in my arms. Driving kind of sucks 'cause it requires you to have your arms in a position that makes it hard for easy blood flow." Seth laughed, rubbing at her fingers. "I'll say, your hands feel like ice. Is your other hand this cold too?"

A heavy hand landed on her shoulder, its weight and heat burning through her shirt. All of the muscles through her shoulders and back went tense as soon as it touched down, Laney's hand jerked from Seth's grip and her head jerked up to see Paul glaring down at her. His grim expression sent a single shiver down her spine, and in a single motion, Laney was out from under his hand, under the bench, beside Seth, and standing five feet behind him on the sand. Paul had suddenly darted away from Bella and Jacob, and by the time the blonde caught sight of them, she was already walking backwards away from the camp.

"Ya'know, I'm real sorry Bella, but you're gunna have to ask one of your friends for a ride home 'cause I'm gettin' this real bad vibe from tall, dark, and scowly there." She breathed, eyes never leaving Paul's. "Paul, back down, I'm real sorry about him Melanie-" Jacob's voice broke through. "Sorry about me?! She's not welcome here!" Paul growled, already dark features even more shadowed with his back turned to the fire. Laney barely registered the sound of Jacob hitting Paul upside the head, and the image of him grasping Paul's arm and dragging him away.

"Yeah, I think I'm gunna leave now then. Nice meeting you Seth-" The blonde spun on her heel and dashed through the sand, mentally worshiping the California beaches she grew up near. An arm lashed out and wrapped around her waist, pulling her back against someone's chest. "Hey, come on, Paul's just a hot head. Stick around, please?" That was definitely Seth's voice, but…. Laney craned her neck to the left and up, and found herself staring at a happy grin that would soon become very familiar. _Say something smart, say something smart…_ "Wow. Did you know you're really tall?" _Damnit Laney-!_

The laugh that went through his chest reverberated through her shoulders echoed across the sand from Bella as well. "That was smart." She quipped to herself, looking out across the sand. Seth chuckled, moving his hands from her waist to her shoulders, and steering her back to the picnic tables and Bella. "I should have warned you about Paul, I'm sorry Laney." Bella smiled apologetically. Laney laughed nervously, peering around. "No biggy. Just some hot blooded guy who doesn't seem to like new people. Makes you wonder why people think this isn't invite only." She laughed. Bella winced and Seth frowned. "Hey-"

Laney grimaced, "Sorry. I get snarky when I feel threatened. Sort of a reflexive defense like those puffer fish, ya'know." Bella giggled, holding out a hand. "No hard feelings?" Laney laughed, grabbing it and pumping once. "Of course not." She paused and looked at their hands. "At least I know he didn't try to start something because of my hands. Yours are freezing too." She shivered abruptly, pulling her hand back from Bella's and rubbing at her arms furiously. "I think we should, ya'know, go stand by the fire or something." Bella laughed, fully realizing Laney's complete obliviousness to the zero degree of her skin.

"You can go ahead. I told Emily I'd help her out earlier. Why don't you go hit on Jacob some more?" She teased. Laney stuck her tongue out at the girl and lazily kicked sand at her feet. "I told you I wasn't going to hit on anyone!" Laughter popped up from around the fire as the two girls split, and Laney made her way towards the crackling flames. She stopped behind where Jacob sat on a long strip of driftwood, head in his hands as two boys across the living color leaned against each other to sit upright. Their laughter had long lost its volume, but they still raised their faces to the night sky.

The heat generated by the bodies and fire surrounded her as soon as she stepped into the light, and silently Laney sighed. Dropping her arms, she grinned down at the back of Jacob's head. "Sorry." She offered quietly, meaning for the word to only reach his ears. "I hit on you mostly because Bella wanted to see your reaction." She giggled.

* * *

10.

As the sun set beyond the stage, Jacob stood beside Quil, Jared, and Kim, silently playing back the reason why he was there. Six months; the time in which he finally graduated high school. Twelve months; the time in which Bella and Edward have been married, and their daughter has been alive. Thirty four months, twelve days and three hours; the time in which he realized he was in love with Bella Swan. Two days; the time in which Quil called him, asking if he'd like to go to a concert.

Jacob rolled over, blinking hard and slow. Who in the world was calling him at midnight? Groggily, he grabbed his cell phone from the nightstand and pressed the accept button, holding the device to his ear and muttering, "Speak, or I'll find you in the morning and maul you." The Quileute boy almost groaned as Quil's chipper voice rang through the connection, "Hey, Jakey! Listen, Kim won four tickets to this concert down in California, and seeing as Claire is too young to take, you wanna go?"

Jacob blinked up at the ceiling, blinked a few times and roughly rubbed a hand across his face. "What the Hell Quil, you're calling me at midnight to go to a concert?" He muttered into the phone, voice rough with sleep still. Quil laughed nervously on the other end, "Well, ya'see, the concert is kind of for tomorrow, and seeing as the only flight we can book on such short notice is in three hours…" The other boy drifted off, as if feeling the contempt rolling off of Jacob over the phone.

"You're calling if I want to go to a concert tomorrow, at midnight, and get on a plane in three hours." He said flatly, pulling himself into a sitting position. "What, you're not sitting in my driveway with Kim and Jared in the car?" Quil laughed uneasily, "We-he-he-ll…." Jacob blinked and stood up, walked to the living room and peeked through the window next to the door. The familiar beat up jar sat in the driveway, and he could see Quil and Jared's faces through the window by the light of the moon.

"Come on Jake, it'll be great, I swear! Besides, it's been how long since you've gotten out of La Push, let alone Forks or Washington?" Jacob sighed, his friend had a point. "Fine. Just let me get dressed and write a note for my dad." He heard Quil crow, Jared shout a loud yes, and Kim clap enthusiastically. "That's m'boy!" Quil called. He rolled his dark eyes, walking back to his room. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be out in a couple minutes.

Ending the call, he sauntered back to his room, pulled on a pair of ragged jeans from the floor and a rustic red shirt that hung from his dresser, and dragged a slightly dusty pair of sneakers from under his bed. A small mirror hung from above his dresser, with a picture tucked into the frame, and when Jacob passed it, he looked out of habit. Both items had been from Bella, the mirror because she claimed he needed to check for drool before leaving his room, and the other a memory. When Edward had left, they had spent much time together. Jacob had taken it one day at the beach.

Bella stood in her green and white striped bikini, and a silly large brimmed white hat, staring out at the ocean with a small but genuine smile on her face. The sun had just been setting, sending her brown locks aflame with golden and amber tones, and lighting her face. For a moment, the Indian boy was lost. He wanted so much to have his Bella back. The human, clumsy, goofy Bella that drove his father's old rust bucket of a truck.

But she was gone. The absentmindedly drifting hand that had been softly stroking a corner of the picture was gripped tightly, and Jacob's eyebrows furrowed deeply. Bella wasn't his anymore, and the clumsy and goofy human girl was gone forever. The thought ached through his being more than anything. She may have just been turned, but the girl he was in love with was forever gone.

Resolutely, he pulled at the corner of the photo, freeing it, and placed it face down on his dresser before closing the door to his room. A quick note left on the counter next to the coffee pot, and a few things hastily shoved into his pocket, and Jacob was out the door and into the car where Kim waited for him with a basket of food. "Well, at least the hostage is being fed." He quipped when she handed it to him.

Quil scoffed, starting the car and turning out onto the road. "Oh please, the hostage is getting food, a free concert, and quite possibly some tail. Have you SEEN the girls on the California coast?" Kim rolled her eyes good naturedly, and Jared laughed. "I'm telling Claire you said that when she's older." Jacob shot back between bites of a waffled spread with blueberry jam.

Quil just snorted, "I'm still allowed to look, I just won't touch, honest. You, on the other hand, can touch. So touch for the both of us, would you?" This time Jacob rolled his eyes, but grinned when Jared whacked the back of Quil's head. The boy squawked indignantly, "Oh come on, it's been what? Two years?" "Quil!" Kim spoke up harshly. Jacob saw him wince in the rear view mirror.

"Ah… Shit. Sorry." He muttered. Jacob swallowed, closed the basket back up and sighed, running a hand over his short hair. "Nah. You're right Quil." The driving boy was slightly dumbfounded, making Jared lunge to the side and grab the wheel as he started to veer into the next lane over. Kim was giving him an odd look, and Jacob was suddenly struck with the urge to laugh. "I mean, it's been a long time and I need to get over it. Not the touching part." He snickered.

And now, he was standing in the middle of who knows how many thousand people, separated from Quil, Jared, and Kim, listening to The Fray and in complete sensory overload. Slowly, he let himself be pushed out of the crowd and towards the back of the venue, where the more laid back concert goers occupied space, some dancing, some mouthing along with the words, and others otherwise occupied. Jacob sighed to himself, leaning back against the concert hall's walls and closing his eyes. Surely his other senses would sharpen at this, but the lights were beginning to make his head pulse.

A soft voice caught his hearing moments later, quietly out of breath, but singing along anyways. He tracked the movement of the voice as it drifted in and out of his range, before growing louder, and then going out completely. His eyes opened slowly, before snapping open as a small body collided with his chest. Looking down at a mop of multi colored hair. "Damn assholes can't watch where they're going…" She muttered softly.

She suddenly jerked away from him, dark eyes going wide as they traveled up his chest and to his face. "Note to self, not a wall." She said to herself, making a small grin crack his grim expression. The girl's eyebrows drew together, "Sorry, some jerk crashed into m-!" Another concert goer took that moment to elbow the girl in the back, sending her flying into Jacob again.

Jacob caught her as she tried to side step away from his chest, pressing a hand against her back and pulling her to him before she could hit the wall. "You must have some bad luck right now, huh?"

* * *

11.

"L-look," She stuttered, before clenching her jaw against the cold. "th-this ain't no spittin' contest." Edward snorted, rolling his head in a nod before opening his mouth to respond, only to pause as she gave him a scorching look.

"I'm just sayin' that I think I know where you're comin' from." Melanie muttered, shoving her hands under her arms. It was freezing! Minutes later, her teeth abruptly clacked together, making her jump and Edward laugh. "Cold?" He asked. Resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at the taller boy, she settled for a glare.

"If I had balls, they would have fallen off from frost bite." She grumped. The barking laugh that escaped his lips surprised her, and the confused expression on her face made him laugh harder. "Let's get you inside then. I'm sure my family is wondering what we're doing out here still."

Edward resisted laughing at the astonished look on her face as he walked around the car at a normal pace, letting her exit on her own and discover the house. Her jaw was unhinged, slightly open, spreading her plush lips apart just enough to let him marvel at their shape. "Th-this… Is your _house?_"

* * *

12.

Half of my face was pressed against the cool glass of the car, making the other half feel like fire. My mom had the heater up full blast. I was roasting alive in my teal long sleeve shirt, gray and white wool cardigan, black jeans, black knee socks, and black boots. She hummed along down the middle of our new town in a light blue tank top and soft gray canvas pants.

Logging Peterbilt truck, propane Mack truck, little white Taurus, big black dodge, store, store, store, little silver- "What is that?" Normally, I could name the cars that I saw off the top of my head, because we had lived in an area before where all sorts of vehicles were driven. But I couldn't figure out what the silver car we were passing was; it looked like a Subaru but with a more rounded body.

Luckily, we were at a light, so my mom leaned over a little and peered out my window. Moms was an automotive person; she grew up with four siblings. Her two brothers knew enough people to run a Jiffy Lube properly. "That's a Volvo, Melly. Take a good look, you probably won't see many of them in Forks."

My lips fell into a frown. Of course not; Forks was a small rainy town that probably still used salt on its roads and I would see nothing but old rusty trucks. Well, not that that would be a bad thing; I totally love old trucks, although rust is a bitch, it's just that I like variety. It makes new things easier to get used to if you have a bunch of them to study.

But looking around through the windows of my mom's Jeep Liberty, there wasn't much variety around here.

The heat was starting to kill, so when I spotted another row of stores I asked if we could stop. The meter on the overhead told us it was in the high forties, a temperature California only dreamed of dropping in the dead of winter and at night, but it sounded better than what must have been one-oh-eight or –eighty in the cab.

"Sure darlin', you getting' thirsty?" My mom had a really pretty twang. It was sort of funny considering we lived in the dead of the city. Well, we used to at least. I had it too sometimes, although I was more apt to just sound high or tired. I got laughed at plenty when I had my head in the clouds.

"Yeah. Sorta got the munchies too." She pulled into the parking lot and I grabbed my wallet from the glove compartment after escaping my seat belt. "I'm just gunna see if I can get some water and granola or something. You want anything moms?" She shook her head and knocked the car into park. "I'll just hang out here, take your time, get used to the place."

My mom had been here plenty of times with her brothers. In their high school years, they had taken the summer breaks to travel around as far as they could go. Grandma hadn't been the best mother, and grandpa had been a government man, gone most of the time. Uncle Dean and John had tried to keep everyone out of the house as much as possible while grandma trashed the place.

I hopped out of the car and all but ran into the store, making a note to stop in to the outdoors store next door later for a longer jacket. Hopefully they had long jackets in there, and not just the trendy half-jackets all of the teenagers in California wore. Well, not just the teenagers, just the skinny people in general who could pull them off. Lucky bastards.

Not that I'd want to wear one; they look completely useless. I meant the skinny people. I wasn't exactly skinny, although I wasn't really overweight either. My mom called it the 'Just The Right Size', all dressed in mediums with the exception of my feet; which were 'for balance'. Whatever the Hell that means.

I filched a box of granola bars, peanut butter, and a bottle of water from the shelves, paid as quickly as I could and darted out of the store. The cashier was creeping me out with all of the staring. Of course, only a half hour into the new town and the first time out of the car, I crash into somebody. My mind rams into apologetic mode.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going, are you ok?" Huh. Didn't know I could say so many words in one breath.

I stare at the guy, he had caught me and we did this weird twirl to keep balance. His back was to the store's doors now, and mine towards the parking lot. He laughed, "No worries, really, I'm fine. You ok?" Well, other than the fact that only a half hour into town I crash into some guy like a clumsy oaf, I'm peachy. He still hasn't let go yet.

"Ah'm fine, just a little adrenalin rush, ya'know?" Damn, damn, damn, stupid twang, go back to the cow fields!

His nose wrinkles as he smiles, which is a-fucking-dorable. "You're new, aren't you?" He asks, dropping his hands. Ohfuckit'scold. Ok, don't say that, don't ask him to put his hand back. It is _not_ ok to hit on strangers, Laney.

I nod and push back a lock of half blonde, half brown hair back behind my ear. Stupid uneven hair likes to annoy me. "I just got into town actually." I hear myself saying, before my thoughts sting me back to consciousness and add, "M-my mom and I, actually."

Ahhh, my mom must be able to see me from the car. She's gunna have a field day when I get back in. "Oh, well then Welcome to Forks." He grinned, "Are you gunna be going to one of the schools around here?"

Forks had one elementary school, one high school, and there was an Indian Reservation in the town over- La Push- that had a college. Anyone not of Indian decent had to write a bunch of essays and crap to get in though. This sucked, because supposedly it was a good school, and the next college was far enough away that I'd probably have to rent or something. Not that I have to worry just yet, I still had a year and a half to go.

"Uh huh," I hum, shoving my hands in my pockets. "Forks High. I start Monday." I'd kill for a week off, but cutting through the middle of Junior year for a week probably wasn't a good idea. I'd have to deal somehow, considering I only had Sunday to move into my new room and set up the house.

"Woah, we have a new girl I didn't know about? Wow, I'm Eric then, Eric Yorkie; if you need anything just ask me." How about if I don't have to shake your hand? Nothing personal, you're really cute, but my hands are cold. I shook his hand anyways, and he looked at them as soon as his fingers wrapped around mine with a startled expression. Whoops, guess they were colder than I thought.

Well, probably to a native Forkian at least. Ell-oh-ell, Forkian. I smiled sheepishly at him, "Sorry, it's nowhere near this cold in California." He dropped his hand and I instantly shoved mine back in my pocket, trying to save the heat I had leached off of his. "Oh, California girl? I can see your blonde hair, but where's your bikini and tan?"

Oh, funnyman, are we? I laugh anyways, "Well, the bikini didn't make it into my bags, and once winter hits, I loose my tan pretty quickly. What about you? I can see your dark hair, but you're pretty tan for a guy who lives in a town that has rain eleven months out of twelve."

I sort of regretted making him wince at the jab, but hey. Don't dole out the punches if you can't take a few yourself. "Well, you see, there's this ethnicity thing that sort of genetically-" I was already laughing before he finished. Damn, Forkian boy is smart. Oh, wait, he told me his name. Damn, I guess I have to use it.

"I'm Melanie Stone. I should probably get going, but its nice meeting you Eric. Hey, care if I use you as a GPS on Monday?" He laughed and waved to me as I started walking away backwards. Shit, don't trip, don't trip, don't trip…

"Nice meeting you Melanie, see you Monday." Woohoo! No wandering around a strange school and getting myself lost, time to do a happy dance! I waved back, in a big and loud manner with a whoop, spun around and ran to the car. The hot air stung like a bitch but now I didn't mind my mom's preference to being really warm.

"So you teenagers are calling crashing into a cute guy and carrying on a conversation for twenty minutes, getting water and granola these days." My skin was already burned from intense cold and heat, so blushing wasn't noticeable. Sweet. I rolled my eyes at my mom and broke out the munchies, showing them to her.

"I just knocked into him while running away from the cashier who was staring at me. Jeez, like they've never seen a girl with half blonde and half brown hair." I had dyed my hair blonde in California at the start of junior year, but never kept up with the bleaching after the first touch up. It grew pretty fast, and my natural color was dark brown, so I now had equal amounts of blonde and brown hair. I kind of liked it.

She rolled her eyes back at me, and we hit the road. Half hour later and we were in a quiet neighborhood, with decent space between the houses and tons of trees. "Last week I found out the police chief lives down the street, so ya'know, keep the music to a mini." We shortened words all the time, and said ya'know frequently. My mom and I had a sort of weird relationship, almost like she was my sister even thought she's almost three times my age.

"Gotcha moms, no death metal at midnight, discharging pistols in the backyard, playing with fireworks in the driveway, putting bologna on his cruiser…." I drifted off and she shoved me into the passenger window. I cracked up, "Joking, joking!" and she let go with a laugh, pulling into the driveway of a light blue flat. Vines grew up from the sides of the house, twirling around the siding and creating deep green designs that stood out from the street.

"It's nice." I commented. My mom smiled. I hadn't seen a picture of the place, just trusted my mom's judgment. I wasn't too picky, as long as it didn't need months of work and it wasn't pink, I was happy. She took the keys from the ignition and popped open her door. "Let's get inside. I wanna see if the table made the trip in that stinky old moving van."

Mom had hired a van to ferry over our things, and movers to get everything inside. It was pretty much the first time she had let someone else do something for her, which was nice considering I didn't have to do it after school every day for who knows how long. Mom couldn't do it because of work; she actually had to go sign in at the logging company tomorrow, leaving me to figure out how to stock the house and whatnot.

The front walk was in good condition, and the lawn was nice and green. I wondered if it would stop raining long enough in this town to sit on it and not get up completely soaked. The front door was pristine white, a pretty four-panel deal that must be new, considering the age of the house; with a numeral door lock and key handle.

I darted in front of her and punched in the number before being pushed out of the way so she could jam the key in before I could pull out mine. I tried to shove her back out of the way and be the first inside, but mom beat me and darted into the entryway before I could regain my balance.

The wooden flooring was worn, but in good shape. It entered left into the kitchen, but if you walked a little farther in and to the right, it lead to another part of the house. I walked through the kitchen, inspecting the stainless steel sink and shiny new refrigerator, our heirloom dinner table, and found two doors; one probably lead to the garage, and a swinging door across from it probably lead out to the living room. My mom was sprawled out on the stiff Persian rug given to her by her dad, the bindings for it still in her hand.

Boxes littered the corners of the room, the TV taking up one with a long box set beside it. I knew inside were all of the paintings my mom had salvaged from grandpa's funeral, as well as a few photographs we had collected over the years. The walls were painted a warm sandy color, while the ceiling had been painted the same light blue as the outside of the house, and the floor space that wasn't taken up by grandpa's rug was still the wooden flooring from the kitchen and entrance.

"Moms, don't you think we should set up or something." Mom groaned childishly, rolling over to face the big double-pane window that opened up the wall into the back yard. There wasn't much out there. A weathered looking shed, probably for the wood-slash-pellet stove in the corner next to the TV, sat off to the left looking lonely. Maybe I'd build another one for our bicycles, my dirtbike, and my mom's ATV.

"Idunwanna." She mumbled into the rug. I laughed and shook my head, looking around. There was another swinging door to my right, it probably lead past the front door and down the hall. "Fine, but I'm not sharing my bed with you tonight if you don't. Last time you kicked me off." I heard her snicker as I passed through the door, finding that it did lead past the front door and down a hallway.

The first door after the front was a bathroom. It was a pretty nice size, with a full shower and bath, wooden counter top and tri-fold mirror. I didn't really care for the mirror part, but the shelving behind it would be handy. Keeping all of my bath stuff in my room was sort of annoying; even if it kept my favorite perfume from my mom.

The next door was on my left, probably the master bedroom. I opened it and sure enough, my mom's stuff was spread out on the dark brown rug, with her bed in the very middle. An uncovered window watched the backyard like the one in the living room, with a bar hanging across the top; waiting for blinds. I closed the door and took a few steps down, stopping in front of the door to the room next to the bathroom.

My room. I twisted the doorknob and stepped inside. The room was a clean white, just like hers had been. Mom had probably paid the movers to paint the living room and hall, but leave ours alone. She had a thing about painting her room every few months, and I liked to… Well, it's kind of weird, but I liked having people sign my walls.

It was like my honesty board thing; I would write what I think about them, as I think it, and write it next to their name. I didn't have many friends in California, but the friends that I did have seemed to appreciate it.

Four boxes sat around my bed, still dismantled and sitting in the middle of the room. A long box sat against the wall to my left and two boxes next to that. I sighed upon setting eyes on those. When moms had told me we were leaving California; that meant getting rid of as many books as I could. That killed; I love to read, but I definitely had more books than I could fit in just two boxes.

Moms on the other hand, just had to burn her massive collection of outdated Vogue and Oxygen magazines.

I knelt down next to the boxes next to my bed frame, finding the one I had marked with a big M, and rifling through until I found what I was looking for. The big deep red cigar shipping box that smelled spicy and mellow at the same time, that I put almost every important thing in. A few pocket knives, old birthday letters and cards, a small, clear blue pocket swiss, an extra wallet, a tiny 2.7mm bullet, necklaces, and more. It was my treasure box.

I extracted a screwdriver and got to work, placing the flat black frame into place at the far wall but with room on either side, opening the long box and putting my bookshelf back together, and replacing my paper and hard backs on the old mahogany.

I was just in the middle of the chorus of Maroon 5's If I Never See Your Face Again when something big and brown knocked on my window. At first, I thought it was Big Foot, so naturally I drop my book and trip backwards over the box behind me. And then, also naturally, I push my hair back from my face to see the window, 'cause Hell; it's Big Foot!

But it's not, it's just some guy. Well, not some guy, he's actually really cute, with cinnamon colored skin, dark eyes and hair, and a completely adorable sheepish smile. He motions to the front door, but I get up and open the window instead. We're separated by a flimsy 'protective' screen. Please, the thing will probably rip through the first storm here.

"So, am I gunna have to worry about my new neighbor catching me bustin' a groove, or is this a one time thing?"

Oh damn. That is one sexy little embarrassed laugh.

"Sorry, one time thing, I swear. I'm not a neighbor."

Oh shit. Deep slightly rough voice, adorable sheepish smile, sexy embarrassed laugh. I am so in trouble. Can I have him?

"Oh, awesome. That means I can still dance around in my underwear in the mornings."

Shut. Up.

Ok, he doesn't blink at that. Awesome, maybe he's taken.

Ok, so that would kind of suck, but I doubt I have a chance. He's hot.

"Hey Jake, is somebody there?"

Shit- someone was at the front door? Why didn't mom answer?

Jake waved at whoever it was at the door and turned back to me, "My dad, your neighbor, and I decided to come over as a sort of welcoming party." I nod, taking this in. Awesome, somebody who can help me set up the cable. Moms is pretty much death to electronics. She's got her cell phone, but the rest might as well be fuel science for a weed eater.

"Oh, I'll be other there in a couple minutes then, sorry." He smiles again, and I try not to look as I close the window with a snap and walk calming out of the room. Of course, I'm running down the hallway full blast, snapping the swinging door open and skidding to a stop in the living room. Moms is still face down in the rug, breathing slow and even.

I creep around her, waiting for her tell, circling until there's an unsure knock on the front door. She giggles and I step up to her head, putting my hands on my hips. She tenses up and her head shifts to look at my old black Airwalk boots. "Aweshit." She groaned, letting her head bob back to the rug.

I laugh and jog to the still swinging door, calling back over my shoulder at her. "Get up, lazy bones!"

I twist the lock and jerk the door open, slightly breathless. Running here was going to suck for the first week, I could tell with that little sprint. "Hi, I'm so sorry, my mom was pretending to be asleep on the living room floor." I grin widely at the man in front of me, probably the one who had called to uh… Jake.

He opened his mouth and closed it. The guy probably had planned something to say, but probably got confused with my little tidbit thrown in there. "Melly, stop telling lies!" Saved by mi madre. I turn to her theatrically as she rushes through the swing door, throwing out a grand arm. "Ah, speak of the deamoness and she shall come forth!"

There's a deep chuckle and a cute recognizable snicker, and I wave to Jake and the guy who had been hiding behind the gaping dude in the doorway as moms pushes me aside. "I am so sorry for my spawn, I'm still teaching her how to interact with human life forms." There's two identical laughs, and the guy cracks a smile.

"Good luck with that. Some of them never learn." A wise and slightly deep voice chimes in. I'm gunna call the guy in the doorway, Mustache-man, 'cause I only know Jake's name. If it's really Jake that is, Jake could just be a nickname… Anyways, Mustache-man steps aside, and I can finally see Jake and the other guy. The Other Guy is in a wheelchair, which means he's not a midget, and he's handsome in the older-dude-who-is-too-old-for-me kind of way.

I mean, like in the way a really cute guy like Jake will look in thirty or forty years, handsome. Um, yeah, I'm making myself uncomfortable here, so moving on. "Hey!" Jake and I chorus, and The Other Guy chuckles mischievously. Why do I have the feeling that The Other Guy is the type of person to start a food fight?

"I'll have you know I'm a very good learner, and I'm getting better, thank you." Moms is an inch shorter than me, which makes it really easy to peer over her shoulder or rest my head on it, so I do. "Ah, really now?" He asks, understanding crossing his face. He looks up at Jake, and I wait for it.

"Well, this one's in need of remedial lessons. Maybe you can tutor him." "Hey now, there will be no tutoring of that kind, no matter how cute your son is." Moms interjects. Jake reaches a level of adorably sexy I once thought impossible to reach as he covers half of his face with a hand and stares meaningfully down at his dad. "What?" He asks, incredibly innocent. "I was just tryin' to score you a date, son."

I'm down the hall in a split second, laughing my ass off. While I'm in there, snickering away, I fix up the rest of my book shelf and search through another box for my bed sheets. Where they hell are they? I swore I put them in with my clothing. I grimace, remembering I had wrapped grandpa's paintings with them. Crap, I wonder if the washer and dryer are hooked up yet.

It's unusually quiet in the front of the house as I walk down the hallway, and I open the swinging door to the living room feeling like the Twilight Zone was upon me. Someone whoops loudly, my hand slips, and the door swings back and smacks me flat in the face. "Fuck." "Melly!" My mom yells from the other room. "Shit! I mean uh..." I slip again.

There's three different laughs, but there's one on the other side of the door that's ridiculously close, and I can practically feel it reverberate over my skin. The swing door opens inward and Jake is smiling that adorable sheepish smile when he sees me rubbing at my nose. "Sorry. Your mom told me to go get you, and I think we both had bad timing."

I snorted, checked my hand for blood, and mock glared. "You had bad timing, Mister. I think you owe me." Confusion struck his face before he realized I was teasing. "Oh? I'm terribly sorry, mistress. Whatever can I do for you?"

Hot damn, am I in trouble. Now that Jake and I are standing face to… Er… Chest, I can see he's tall. Like, glad mom sprung for the house with eight foot ceilings, tall. Because was _tall_. So, like any other self-respecting vertically-challenged person, I signalled for him to kneel. "Your queen demands a piggy-back ride."

Oh, surprised was definitely a good look on him. He snorted and scooped me up, throwing me over his shoulder. "Forget that." I try not to squeal as I wriggled around in his hold, but it squeaks out when he slaps my ass and uses my feet to open the swing door. "Let me down, you great oaf!" I cried dramatically, half-heartedly beating on his back.

No, I wasn't just doing it to… Well, ok, yes I was just trying to feel him up. God, some six foot or more embodiment of a wet dream throws you over his shoulder and you wouldn't? I'm insane, but not that insane. Damn, what did he do in his spare time; eat weights?

Jake drops me down amongst the laughing adult population of the room, my mom laughing her ass off at my situation, The Other Guy is grinning widely at Jake, and Mustache Guy is snickering. Well, it's nice to know so many others are on my si-HEY; the tv's on!

Jake lets me down, keeping his arm around my waist when my knees don't lock for a minute and I almost fall. I pat his shoulder and stand up, brushing my hair back. "That was most exciting, minstrel, however next time a simple buggy will do." I chime with a posh accent. Moms laughs all the harder, now joined by the other two men.

Well, if Jake didn't think I was crazy, he should now. "And hey, you guys got the cable and everything set up, awesome!" Yes, awesome! I didn't have to do it, party dance time! Moms sat up, wiping at her eyes and breathing deeply. "Not just that, Billy and Charlie are amazing. Kick it, Charlie!"

Do we always talk like idiots? Why yes, yes we do.

Charlie walks over to the light switch on the wall, and the track lights I hadn't noticed earlier on the ceiling flicked on. "Ohnoway!" The electricity company had been jerking moms around before we left, saying they might not be able to turn everything on in time for us. The last we spoke to them, they had told us it wasn't possible to get the electricity on before next Wednesday.

I'm sure my eyes are huge before I clench them shut and do a little hip-swaying victory dance. "Eat that, electricity company!" There's this weird but cute little snicker laugh behind me, and I realize its Jake, trying not to laugh at me. Pretending to be angry, I turn on him and poke his stomach.

Which is pretty much like poking granite, by the way. "You dare laugh at your Queen, minstrel?!" He's laughing now all double over, which is an amazing sound, and I can hear my mom cracking up behind me now. The other two are curiously quiet though. I turn back around, and Mustache Guy, who I guess I have to refer as Charlie now, is grinning sadly. Billy though, formerly The Other Guy, has tears in his eyes.

Everything only seems to last for a split second, but I feel like I'm in between worlds. Moms sits back up, and their expressions are back to being filled with humor. Jake sets a hand on my shoulder, which feels like somebody put a sack of rice there because his hands are huge, and straightens back up. "Well Charlie, I think you might have your hands full with Mell as a neighbor."

Ohfuck. Come on. Why does everybody know my name and I don't know theirs? Well, I mean, ok so I do, but "I want formal introductions, damnit!"

Ok, so note to self; make sure your mouth is firmly shut while thinking.

Moms gives me a stern look. "Melly, what did I tell you about cursing?" I suck my lips together and push them out in a 'thinking' face, letting my eyes roam about. "Don't do it unless you're telling somebody off?" She opens her mouth, but I cut her off. "But I was! I was telling off the fact that nobody has formally introduced themselves to me!" She thinks for a minute and purses her lips.

"Damn, you got me there." I cackle and point at her, and she holds up a finger. "The rule doesn't apply to me, I'm the mom." I scoff, crossing my arms, "Only sometimes." Oh the looks on their faces are so funny and confused. "Only when you feel like it." I retort. Moms laughs and holds up her hands in surrender. "Alright, Snappy McPop Pants, do your introduction deal already."

I roll my eyes but walk over to Charlie first, holding out a hand. "Melanie Stone, I'll be going to Forks High on Monday, and I swear, you won't ever see me in the back of a cruiser." Charlie laughs and shakes my hand, "Charlie Swan. I'll hold you to that Melanie; I hope I won't see you in the back of mine at least." He's got the kind of grip a police officer should have, but an underlying softness that I didn't know if I should take for sadness or fear of gripping to hard.

I move on to Billy, and he automatically takes my hand, strong and sure but gentle. "Billy Black, it's a pleasure to meet you Mel." For a guy in a wheelchair, he was full of life and charm, and seemed like he could take charge whenever he felt like it. I'm pretty sure I'm beaming at him, 'cause I get the feeling we'll get along fine. "Same, Mister Black."

Jake is obviously not used to shaking hands, but he does anyways, and holycrap. "Your hands are really hot."

Stupid brain.

"Well thanks, but what about the rest of me?"

He should stop keeping page with me, it's making me like him.

"Well, for a naughty little court jester-"

Did I…..?

Yeah. By any account of Charlie and Billy's red laughing faces, and mom's feet kicking in the air, I probably did.

"Well, that was embarrassing." I chirp. The face-cracking grin on his face wobbles as he tries not to laugh. "Jacob Black." He finally chokes out, clearing his throat a few times to even his voice. "Most people call me Jake though, and I go to the rez's high school."

"Holy shit, you're in high school?"

Wow, I really have no brain to mouth filter today, do I?

He laughs awkwardly while the 'adults' finally calm down. "Yeah, I'm actually sixteen."

Woah. Can you say jail bait? Jeez, I can see the appeal with cougars now. Well, not that I'm eighteen yet. But I mean, shit son, there must be single women living here, right?

Ohey, the filter's back on.

"Wow. So we're the same age then?" Moms sits up again and works on regaining her breathing. "No dear, Jake is older than you. His birthday is in February." I roll my eyes at her. So what, his birthday is eleven months before mine. "Irrelevant fact to the matter at hand." I chirp sweetly back.

"Uh oh, somebody's pulled out the big words." Billy chimes in. Jake rolls his eyes, probably used to it. My stomach decides that the interlude is the perfect time to introduce itself.

_~interlude in which they all eat dinner or something~_

I'm dancing around in my green and blue plaid pj pants and a grey and white plaid corset tank to Maroon 5's Little Of Your Time, when there's a brown flash at my window. I all but shriek, remembering Big Foot from yesterday, remembering just in time that it wasn't Big Foot, it was….

I jerk my window open, not bothering with a jacket or anything. Jake had probably already seen me do a full body roll. "I thought you said this wouldn't be a regular thing, Mister I'm Not Your Neighbor."

Oh damn. He had to wink. That's a good look on him.

"Dad told me your mom wouldn't be around today-" I interrupt him conveniently, holding my comb to my chest. "So you decided to come over and try to have your way with me? How immoral Jacob Black!" I gasp. His scathing look is sooooo worth it. "and told me to come down and ask if you need any help around town."

Huh. That's really nice of them. I'm kinda stunned, you don't meet many nice people in California. "Wow. That's sweet. Tell ya what, I'll run around to the door, you let me get dressed, and you can be my personal GPS." I don't give him time to answer, slamming the window shut and hot footin' it to the front door. He still stood at my window when I opened it, with confusion and amusement on his face.

"Over here hot stuff, I'm not changing with your peepers glued to my window." His head whips up to look from the window to me and blinks in surprise. "Woah, you were just in- how'd you…?" I laugh at him and let him pass by me and into the house. "I was a sprinter at my old school. Third fastest time if I do say so myself."

I was on the track and field team back in California, and had no shame in making it known how fast I could be. Working to patch life up here though probably meant I wouldn't be able to look into any clubs here. If they even had a track and field here that is; the mud and rain must get in the way.

"Anyways, you know where the living room is. I'll only need eight minutes." He laughed, following me out of the entrance way and stopping at the living room's swing door. "Eight minutes? You know that time for a fact or something?" I spun around, walking backwards to my room's door and stuck my tongue out at him. "As a matter of fact, I do!"

"I'll time you then!" He calls back to me as I shut my door. I actually have a habit about going places and clothing. I put my favorite clothing on top of whatever I packed my things in, and my favorites are always the most comfortable because I wear them so much. And comfort is always good for when you're in a new place, right?

I just grab my jeans and boots from yesterday, a fresh pair of thermal socks and a thermal gray long sleeve to go under my cardigan. And when I say thermal, I mean like straight from the men's section, thermal. Who doesn't like being cold? I don't! I pull on my jeans, taking a minute to morn my warm pj pants, socks and boots, and my thermal shirt right over my corset. I figure the extra layer wouldn't hurt.

I grab my cardigan and trek back out into the Hall, walking slowly once I get to the living room. There's no noise coming from it, which makes me wary. What if Really Cute I'm Not Your Neighbor Boy is really an axe murderer? I hesitantly open the door, internally sighing when he's not there swinging an axe at my head through the door.

Opening it the rest of the way, I see he's put together the frame for the futon couch in the middle of the room, but paused before the bottom struts were put on to study something inside one of the boxes…

"These are really good." He sounds completely blown away, but kind of solemn. I realize it's the long box with grampa's pictures, and walk in so I can see them too. The top picture is of the willow tree that had been planted in the backyard of my mom's house when she was growing up. A small tool shed had been built next to it, and the branches sent vines curtaining the little building in green/gray leaves.

A small wall was built around the base, about three feet high, of which grandma sat atop of for the painting. It was one of the older ones my grampa had done, early in their marriage; before grandma had gone insane. Grandma had been a pretty woman, with classic looks. A small waist, equally proportioned hips and bust, golden brown hair that shone blonde in the sun, long legs, and a cherry smile.

We didn't keep the painting so much for grandma's presence in the painting, as much as the memory of the old willow, shed, stone wall, towering trees, and mahogany fencing. I smiled to myself, remembering the backyard I had played tag in when I was little. "Have you been looking at them for long?" I ask. He probably had only seen the top, maybe the second one, considering how much he had done on the futon frame.

"Just this one. Did you or your mom paint these?" He looked at me in mild surprise when I laugh. "I'm rubbish at painting, and my mom is more of a splatter artist. Her dad painted them." Gingerly, he pulls the top painting away and lays it delicately aside. How careful he's being makes my heart tingle, partially because he recognizes that the paintings are important, partly because it's sort of cute.

The next one is from Grampa's last vacation. He had gone around the world, from Mexico to Russia, to Italy and Africa. He had called it his Memory trip, in honor of his honeymoon with grandma, when they had taken a world trip. In Africa, he had taken a safari tour, and painted a lioness from memory. Soulful golden eyes stared up at me and Jacob, daring us to do something.

"He's _really_ talented." Jacob said. I can't help the sigh that drifts past my lips, and I kneel beside him to touch the frame of the painting. "Was. Grampa died in '07. But yeah, he was incredible." The painting is slightly dusty around the lower right corner, where grampa usually sighed his name and the date. I brush it away with my fingers, tracing the slim and sharp letters.

I can feel the uneasiness that bursts around his body, "Oh, I'm so sorry-" It all but pushes me over, and I giggle, trying to break up his tension. "It's fine, really. I have memories of him, pictures and these paintings. I'm just thankful for the time I got to spend with him in the first place." There's hooded sadness in his eyes that make me keep staring right back, and I can feel my eyebrows furrow after a few minutes.

My eyes start to water, and he looks away, drawing in a deep breath. "Sorry. We uh, should probably get going." "Yeah!" I breath, blinking quickly to keep down the tears, and stand up with him. I had never reacted so much to someone's sorrow like that.

I follow him out the front door, taking a minute to lock it behind me before walking around the garage. He looks offended when I take one look at his car and start giggling like a mad man. I laugh the whole way to his car, and by the time we're in town, I'm trying to do deep breathing exercises so we can talk.

"My rabbit and I are offended."

"Oh you suck!" I cry, because he's just sent me into another round of giggles. He parks in front of the grocery store moms and I had gone to yesterday, and we wait for a few minutes until I can breathe again. The dry look he sends me when we get out makes my grin wobble. "You know, most guys are embarrassed when a girl laughs at their car." I almost trip over the sliding door's track. "I'm sorry!" I snicker, grabbing a basket and figuring I'll only get necessary things like water, eggs, bread, and the like.

He just huffs and crosses his arms. I'm biting my lip and trying not to start laughing again halfway through my mental list before I dare look at him, and when I do he's pouting. Oh that is so adorable. "I'm sorry," I giggle again, "It's just; you're huge! And a Rabbit does _not_ fit you." Seriously, he's like, almost seven feet tall and driving a _Rabbit_?

He raises an eyebrow at me, and I pull down a box of oatmeal. "Well, what 'fits' me then, Oh Mighty Knowing One." Oh Mighty Knowing One? Huh, I kind of like that.

I shrug, wracking my mind for something that would fit a cute, tall, brawny, cinnamon skinned boy who seems partial to clothing like jeans and a typical white t-shirt. "I don't know. Something more like a truck, or something classy like…." I try to think, but the only thing that pops up is that car that looked like a Subaru. "One of those new Volvo's."

Ok, ouch, those flamethrowers you've got in your eyes hurt. Guess he doesn't like Volvo's. I hold up my hands in surrender, "Woah, ok, no Volvo's. Gotcha. Mister Ticking Time Bomb eyes likes his Rabbit." He's instantly guilty, and takes the basket from my arm as I grab a bottle of apple juice from a shelf. "Sorry. Let's just say I don't get along with Volvo's very well."

Thankfully Staring Checkout Boy isn't working today. "Fair enough Flamethrower Eyes." Checkout Girl pops her gum and states the price, which is a hell of a lot cheaper than buying food back in California, and I pay. Jacob collects the bags before I can have a chance to even pick up one and lugs it all back to his car.

He laughs at me as I stand there, "What are you doing?" I scowl right back, feeling slightly useless. "You took all the bags before I could even get one, and I'd feel rude if I got in the car before you."

* * *

_Ok, there you go.  
The produce of over a week's worth of Writer's Insomnia. I don't know if it's rubbish or if I might have something here, but I've enjoyed getting the ideas out._

_I hope some of you enjoyed it at least._

_Again, I'd appreciate feedback. Anything is fine, even if it's just the number of whatever part you liked. Thanks.  
_


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